Service Providers’ Perspectives on Delivering Support for Domestic Violence Victims in Rural New South Wales
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13776392 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Uchechukwu L Osuagwu (0000-0002-1727-6914, Western Sydney University, corresponding author), Robyn Vines (Western Sydney University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 62 |
| Pages | 469580251366958-469580251366958 |
| Publication date | 2025-08-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | INQUIRY The Journal of Health Care Organization Provision and Financing (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0046-9580 • E-ISSN: 1945-7243 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/00469580251366958 |
| PMID | 40899859 |
| OpenAlex | W4413943119 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 25 |
Australians living in rural communities are more likely to experience Domestic violence (DV) than those living in urban areas. Service providers (SP) who provide support to victims of DV in these rural settings encounter some structural barriers at a systems and organizational level that may be useful in improving outreach services. However, few studies have explored SP perspectives surrounding these issues. This study aimed to explore service providers' perspectives on delivering support for DV victims in rural New South Wales (NSW), Australia. This qualitative study utilized structured interviews that were audio recorded and evaluated, using inductive thematic analysis. Ten people from the Central West region of NSW, providing support across DV services, legal services, community centers, medical centers, and the police, were interviewed. Half of the interviewees held roles in organizations that provided DV-specific services. Some service providers noted clients presented with other issues first, before disclosing their experiences with DV. Interviewees described key obstacles, including cultural attitudes, comorbid mental health and substance use disorders, and logistical impediments to leaving relationships and accessing services as barriers for victims. They identified the personal toll of their work and a lack of funding for specialized and multidisciplinary services as challenges to providing effective service delivery. Facilitators such as building trust through community services, using technology for remote support, and community support groups were effective. SP cited DV education in schools as an important avenue for primary prevention. This study highlights the significant barriers and facilitators identified by rural DV service providers in the Central West region of NSW, Australia. Despite the personal toll on providers, supportive networks helped mitigate burnout. The study advocates for increased funding, coordinated multidisciplinary services, and educational programs to address structural and cultural issues in rural DV service delivery at both the systems and organizational levels
Business · Domestic violence · Environmental health · Mental health · Multidisciplinary approach · Outreach · Poison control · Political science · Psychiatry · Public relations · Qualitative research · Rural area · Service (business · Service delivery framework · Service provider · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Thematic analysis · Work (physics · Child Abuse and Trauma · Engineering · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Marketing · Medicine · Nursing · Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
Alarming trends in US domestic violence during the Covid-19 pandemic
A call for a social network-oriented approach to services for survivors of intimate partner violence.
An increasing risk of family violence during the Covid-19 pandemic
Systematic methodological review
Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (Coreq)
Over Our Dead Bodies
Violence Against Young Women in Non-urban Areas of Australia
Domestic and Family Violence Affecting Children and Young People from Culturally and Racially Marginalized Migrant Backgrounds in Australia
Understanding Formal Responses to Intimate Partner Violence and Women’s Resistance Processes
When staying home isn’t safe
Exploring the Perceptions of Domestic Violence Service Providers in Rural Localities
You Can’t Meet Everyone's Needs After-Hours”
Intimate Partner Violence in Urban, Rural, and Remote Areas
Challenges in Risk Assessment with Rural Domestic Violence Victims
Domestic violence (DV) service provision and the architecture of rural life
Rurality's Influence on Women's Intimate Partner Violence Experiences and Support Needed for Escape and Healing in Australia
Using thematic analysis in psychology
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |