Domestic violence in rural Australia / Sarah Wendt.

Includes bibliographic references (pages 169-180) and index.

This book paints a picture about domestic violence in rural Australia, drawing on research that has been conducted over the last 2 decades as well as the author{u2019}s research in rural communities in South Australia. It provides an analysis of how rural communities have been understood historically and examines social/cultural constructions of 'rural culture' overtime. Wendt draws heavily on women{u2019}s and human service workers{u2019} stories about their experiences of domestic violence in rural contexts to argue the importance of recognising local culture when forming community responses to domestic violence. The stories show women{u2019}s creativity, agency, heartache, and survival when experiencing, coping with, and responding to domestic violence, and show why it is important to provide a complex analysis of the relations between gender, power, and {u2018}rural culture{u2019}. The book is written for those involved in social care practice in rural communities, policy development, and tertiary students.