Rural Outreach

The North Dakota Council on Abused Women’s Services began to focus on rural outreach in 1996 with the award of a grant from the Violence against Women Office. This grant was a collaborative effort among the states of North Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. The primary focus was to examine ways to deliver domestic violence services to victims of domestic violence in rural /remote and reservation areas of our states. In 2001, the North Dakota Rural Collaboration project continues those same efforts within our state. Eleven rural domestic violence projects actively seek to enhance and maintain domestic violence services to rural women.

Rural Issues for Victims of Domestic Violence

• Transportation.
• Weather conditions.
• Lack of anonymity “everyone knows everyone”.
• Prevalence of weapons.
• Limited access to services especially legal and medical.
• Geographic isolation.
• Traditional belief system.
• High unemployment rates.
• Lack of housing.
• Lack of childcare services.
• Closed communities.
• Low wages.

Rural Issues for Providers

• Low staffing.
• Financial resources.
• Scarcity of professional and other referral sources.
• Lack of shelter/safe homes.
• Struggle to gain and maintain community acceptance and support.
• Isolation.
• Distance between services and transportation.
• “Old Boys Network”.
• TA for grant writing/funding searches.
• Legal services.
• Community resistance to “outsider staff”.
• Training for professionals.
• Smaller funding base.
• Potential for community support.
• Emphasis must be on band aids rather than prevention.
• Lack of batterer’s and children’s programs.

Major Focus

County Assessments:

Data is being gathered through interviews with a variety of community members in designated rural counties of North Dakota. Using the Pennsylvania model, we currently have completed assessments in fourteen rural and remote counties. The data is being compiled and will be available for release later this year. The Rural outreach staff is available to assist communities in developing a community response in areas where services are limited.

Development of materials:

Guidelines for working with battered women and their children in rural areas have been developed for professionals to help promote an understanding of the domestic violence victims in rural communities.

Currently available:

– Guidelines for Healthcare Professionals

– Guidelines for Social Work Professionals

– Booklet for Clergy and Congregations Addressing Needs

– Guidelines for Educators

– Guidelines for Cosmetologists

– Guidebook for Childcare Providers (available March 02)

Other materials developed include:

– “Crush to Cruelty” – a video addressing dating violence among teens living in rural areas

– “In Her Own Words” – a video addressing domestic violence in rural and remote communities

– “Walking in Respect” – a video for Native American communities to promote an understanding of the issues of domestic violence (a facilitator’s guide is include to assist in the presentation of this video)

The materials listed above are available from our office. Contact 701-255-6240 for more information.

Training and Technical Assistance:

Training opportunities as well as technical assistance has been provided to our rural project directors and their advocates to insure their ability to continue to maintain and enhance services in the rural and remote counties of North Dakota. Special emphasis has been placed on building a stable infra-structure, funding base and community support.

Cooperative Programming Incentive Program:

This initiative has been developed to encourage rural domestic violence programs to work together to enhance and maintain services in rural and remote counties of North Dakota. Programs are encouraged through monetary incentives to examine ways to provide services in shared services areas and administrative functions.

Public Awareness Campaign:

We will focus this year’s campaign on increasing the visibility of rural programs and the services they provide to victims of domestic violence in rural communities of the state.