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3.9: I. North Dakota/Rural-Specific Information and Issues

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    47613
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    When we discuss issues surrounding sexual assault, it is important to look at the particular realities of rural life. Many students in our classes will recognize the following issues as significant to the region they live or have lived in.

    1. No Transportation They may not have access to a vehicle or even a driver's license, so traveling to town to report a crime or seek medical attention may not seem practical. Road conditions during winter may prohibit travel, especially on back roads where snow removal may be intermittent or completely lacking.

    2. Nowhere to Go – Victims who are assaulted by a family member or relative may not have access to a shelter, or the nearest one may be more than an hour away. Going to a shelter means uprooting children from school and extended family and it takes advance planning. It can not be a spontaneous response.

    3. Security Many rural victims have never lived anywhere else, and leaving the security of other family members to escape the actions of one, is a frightening prospect.

    4. Generational Effects of Sexual Abuse Isolation may be pronounced in rural areas, and the family may be a closed unit. If victims grew up with the offender or married into the family, they may fear not being believed or even being blamed by other members of the family who do not understand the dynamics of sexual abuse. In particular, many Native American women have internalized the victimization, and sexual abuse has become commonplace (NDCAWS; Sexual).

    5. Shortage of Resources –There is a lack of support services to assist victims. If they are available, there may be a lack of public awareness as to how to access them. Consider that there may not even be 911 services (Tri‑State Rural, Guide; OVC Bulletin).


    This page titled 3.9: I. North Dakota/Rural-Specific Information and Issues is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Wendelin M. Hume.

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