A victim of domestic violence shares her story of survival, as lawyers and academics warn governments that rural communities are 'drowning in' family abuse cases.
The classic Australian country lifestyle is often depicted in a romantic light but for some, especially women living on rural properties, it has a dark side.The harsher environment and conservative culture in rural areas are among the factors behind the prevalence of domestic violence against women in the bush, according to one of Australia's eminent researchers of gendered violence.
Professor Carrington's findings, which are based on research in several communities across Queensland and New South Wales over six years, are echoed by the Dubbo-based Western NSW Community Legal Centre.Senior solicitor Tori Mines said their research revealed there could be an unequal power balance between men and women in rural areas.Ms Mines said the pressures of farming life, lack of frontline services like police, and isolation could perpetuate domestic violence.
"So one, that puts fear in, 'I can't speak out against this person', but also, 'Even if I do my privacy is very likely not protected'."Kate Ronne is one of Tori Mines's former clients and now works with the centre.The mother of two remembers the last night she spent with her abusive former partner after he had taken her from her home town to live hundreds of kilometres away in a rural area of northern NSW.
"He threatened to kill me. He said to me that he wanted to strangle me. I knew that I had to get out. I couldn't risk my life or my son's life any further," Ms Ronne said.I fled intimate partner violence. Here's my advice for what to say to support someone going through the same thing."He physically assaulted me, which included hitting and choking, and it went on for most of the day," Ms Ronne said.
The isolation of rural and remote areas is considered to be the biggest danger to women and children experiencing domestic violence.Ms Ronne agreed that the stigma associated with domestic violence and reduced access to support services in rural areas made fleeing a lot harder.
Women Family Violence Abuse Perpetrators Rural NSW Regional NSW Police
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