Services Available for Victims of Crime: A Comparison Between Rural and Urban Counties

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

Research has shown that 1 in 5 women are the victims of domestic violence, and more than 20% of all non-fatal acts against women were completed by an intimate partner (Eastman & Bunch, 2007; Logan, Stevenson, Evans, & Leukefed, 2004). The effects that the violence has on a victim can be apparent through changes in psychological and behavior norms. While services for victims of crime are becoming more readily available, few victims actually seek assistance. The purpose of this study is to complete a review of research, examining different services available for victims. In addition, this study aims to examine the different barriers that arise between rural and urban victims who are trying to access victim service agencies. The affordability, accessibility, acceptability, and availability of services are all prominent trends throughout previous research. In the end, recommendations for implementing appropriate services to victims are examined in hopes of increasing the number of services that are utilized each year.
Keywords: victim services, rural victims, urban victims

Author

• Amanda Goodson, Boise State University