Type:	Journal Article
Title:	Impacts of rural culture on domestic violence
Other Titles:	Rural social work
Authors:	Cheers, Brian Wendt, Sarah
Keywords:	Community attitudes;Regional rural and remote areas
Year:	2002
Publisher:	Departments of Social Work and Social Policy at La Trobe University and the University of South Australia
Citation:	7 (1), June 2002
Notes:	The article reports on a study of fourteen women who have experienced domestic violence while living in a rural-agricultural setting in South Australia. The objective of the research was to examine the effect of rural culture on the decisions that these women made. All of them considered that their culture impacted on their experiences of and responses to domestic violence. The community’s perception about marriage, family and gender roles influenced most of the women to continue in the abusive relationship. They internalised the beliefs that regard marriage as sacred and permanent and family problems as private. Christian doctrine also contributed to the status quo. One woman named the phenomenon the ‘perfect syndrome’, since any deviation from perfection is socially judged as undesirable. These ideologies function to silence rural women and keep them in oppressive situations. Social workers need to be aware that many women support aspects of these ideologies or cultures and that they need support to work through their ambivalence and internal conflicts.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/15175
ISSN:	13216627
Appears in Collections:	Journal Articles

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