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about this blogRead moreA damning report by the National Rural Crime Network has found that many victims living in rural areas are being failed by the system. The Countryside Alliance, who are part of the National Rural Crime Network, welcomed this landmark report on domestic abuse and will work with the NRCN, police, government and other agencies to deliver on the recommnedations. This research examines a difficult problem and it has uncovered a deeply hidden and disturbing side to rural life. This report bears the souls and scars of domestic abuse victims, who all too often are lost to support, policing and criminal justice services.
The reports reveals a shocking picture of domestic abuse in rural Britain with hidden victims – isolated, unsupported and unprotected – who are being failed by the system, services and those around them. Its findings are stark, disturbing and lead to an urgent call for action from government, the police, society and us all.
Among the ten key conclusions:
All ten conclusions, and the full research which led to them, can be found at www.ruralabuse.co.uk.
Many of their harrowing stories can be found in the full report in their own words, including:
"You think that the community in villages like the one I lived in would be a source of support but in reality, no-one wants to get involved in another person's personal life… because he played for the village cricket team he had the support of everyone and this made me feel even more isolated."
"I found it so hard to find anyone in the village to talk to. They are all perfectly nice people on the surface, but after he shouted at me in the pub that night it was like everyone took a step back from me."
"My partner used to deliberately drive off to work with the kids car seats in his car which meant I could not go anywhere safely because I was stuck in the cottage with the kids… it was just another way he isolated me and kept me from interacting with anyone else"
"Once I came in and he had wrapped up a new phone for me… when I opened it up it had all been set up for me but all the pictures from my old phone and my friend's numbers weren't on there. Like none of them. When I asked for my old phone to transfer them over he said he had destroyed it because everything I needed was on the new phone… it was like he had removed my former life – just wiped it clean."
"You don't really have a choice – the police are at least an hour away and if it happens on a Friday or Saturday night, which it always did, they are busy dealing with other things. I never really considered calling the police – what's the point? By that time, I had been hit, slapped or punched anyway."
To pledge your support to the report and tackling domestic abuse in rural areas please sign here.
If you need help and would like to talk to someone please contact the National Domestic Violence Helpline website or call the Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
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