Violence against women in rural communities

This chapter points out the barriers women living in rural areas face when reporting violence, particularly when the perpetrator is known to the victim. It provides a basis for the analysis of the Swedish case by presenting a list of individual and structural factors that are determinants of violence against women in rural areas. The chapter highlights individual and structural factors that relate to women’s abuse and violence. Geographical and social isolation characterize the lives of many rural battered women. Geographical isolation affects the legal support that women have in countryside. Isolation perpetuates gender inequalities because rural communities continue to define the role of men and women more narrowly than urban communities do. Young women are more at risk of becoming a victim of domestic violence than older women are. Although not a causal factor, alcohol and other drugs are common situational and background antecedents to the occurrence of domestic violence.