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Violence and Abuse in Rural America – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Violence and Abuse in Rural America.

Evidence Brief: Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence/Sexual Assault Among Veterans
Report details a study on the prevalence of intimate partner violence and sexual assault experienced by veterans. Breaks down data by type of abuse suffered and rurality, among other measures.
Additional links: Supplemental Materials
Author(s): Nicholas J. Parr, Sarah Young, Rachel Ward, Katherine Mackey
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organizations: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
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Examining Child Maltreatment Reports Using Linked County-Level Data
Report examining the insights that county-level data can provide on child maltreatment based on various national sources, including the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), the U.S. Census, and others. Investigates rural-specific data and rural/nonrural comparisons in associations between risk factors, report rates, child poverty, and child maltreatment.
Author(s): Brenda Smith, Qingyi Li, Kun Wang
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Linking Administrative Data to Improve Understanding of Child Maltreatment Incidence and Related Risk and Protective Factors: A Feasibility Study
Examines the feasibility of linking data from local, state, and federal administrative agencies, such as child welfare, health, social service, education, and others, in order to produce new information on child maltreatment. Discusses rural-specific data concerns.
Author(s): Andrea Mraz Esposito, Claire Smither Wulsin, Leah Pranschke, Andrew Burwick, Rebekka Nickman
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Homicides of American Indians/Alaska Natives — National Violent Death Reporting System, United States, 2003–2018
Examines homicides of American Indians/Alaska Natives. Provides data by victim and suspect sex, age group, race/ethnicity, method of injury, location where the homicide occurred, metropolitan status, events that contributed to the homicide, and other selected characteristics. Includes data on intimate partner violence-related homicides.
Author(s): Emiko Petrosky, Laura M. Mercer Kollar, Megan C. Kearns, et al.
Citation: MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 70(8), 1-19
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women: New Efforts Are Underway but Opportunities Exist to Improve the Federal Response
Report examining the data and jurisdictional challenges of addressing the missing or murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) crisis affecting American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Describes efforts on the part of the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior to improve data collection and support tribal governments and law enforcement and offers policy recommendations to improve planning and continue these efforts.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Addressing Domestic Violence in Rural Communities: Best Practices for Criminal Courts
Outlines best practices to address domestic violence in rural criminal courts and jurisdictions. Describes the Coordinated Community Response (CCR) model and stakeholders involved, including healthcare providers, that rural communities can use to prevent and respond to intimate partner violence.
Author(s): Liberty Aldrich, Robyn Mazur, Danielle Pugh, Brittany Davis
Date: 08/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Court Innovation
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The Implementation of the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Telehealth Center: A Program Evaluation
Study that evaluates the implementation of the Pennsylvania-based Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Telehealth (SAFE-T) Center in 3 rural hospitals, based on surveys of staff and patients. Discusses results related to nurse confidence scores, perspectives of telehealth in relation to examinations, quality care, and patient outcomes.
Author(s): Sheridan Miyamoto, Elizabeth Thiede, Elizabeth N. Wright, et al.
Citation: Journal of Forensic Nursing, 17(3), E24-E33
Date: 07/2021
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ACEs Screening in Rural California: Exploring Provider Perspectives and Experiences
Report examining the implementation of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening in rural communities in Northern California based on interviews with Medi-Cal providers. Discusses opportunities to support screening, referral, and treatment as well as barriers, including limited time, resources, infrastructure, and skilled staff. Discusses disproportionate rates of ACEs in rural adults and health impacts of ACEs.
Author(s): Kathryn Stewart, Lisa Tadlock, Shauna Olsen, Sue Grinnell
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organizations: California Department of Health Care Services, Northern ACEs Collaborative, Population Health Innovation Lab, Public Health Institute
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Strengths and Barriers in Implementing the ACE Screening Tool in Tribal, Urban Indian, and Rural Settings
Report examining barriers to the implementation of consistent Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening in rural, tribal, and urban Indian clinics through the California Medi-Cal ACES Aware program. Describes barriers and recommendations related to issues of addressing resiliency, administering screening during a crisis, potential to trigger trauma or other sensitivity in the patient, and cultural appropriateness based on 12 key informant interviews.
Author(s): Becky Garrow, Maureen Wimsatt
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: ACEs Aware
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Rural Availability of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs)
Study examining the availability of sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) in rural areas based on county-level and hospital-level data from Pennsylvania. Describes challenges for SANE availability, including inconsistent coverage and barriers to certification, noting the potential risk of lower quality sexual assault care for rural victims.
Author(s): Elizabeth Thiede, Sheridan Miyamoto
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 81-91
Date: 01/2021
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:


Last Updated: 3/25/2025