Supporting victims of domestic violence in rural and island communities during COVID-19: the impact of the pandemic on service providers in North-East Scotland and Orkney.

Pedersen, Sarah; Mueller-Hirth, Natascha; Miller, Leia

Abstract

We investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on domestic-violence service providers in rural and island communities in North-East Scotland and Orkney. Domestic abuse and violence in rural areas is typically underestimated and might be more hidden due to stigma, a surveillance culture, and the practical difficulties of accessing services. The geographical challenges of rural and remote areas in relation to domestic violence are, to some extent, further amplified in small island locations, given population sizes, terrain and separation by sea. In such communities, visits to a service organisation's offices, or a visit by one of their staff, might publicly mark a service user out as a domestic-abuse survivor. This article focuses on the move to digital and telephone provision of support in areas where broadband Internet access is inconsistent and service users may live many miles from sources of support. At the same time, the move to online modes of communication was welcomed by staff in relation to offering opportunities for training and networking. There was also use of social and local media to raise awareness of the prevalence of domestic violence in these locations and to counter the myth of idyllic and abuse-free rural and island communities.

Citation

PEDERSEN, S., MUELLER-HIRTH, N. and MILLER, L. 2023. Supporting victims of domestic violence in rural and island communities during COVID-19: the impact of the pandemic on service providers in North-East Scotland and Orkney. Island studies journal [online], 18(2), article 423. Available from: https://doi.org/10.24043/isj.423

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 25, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Apr 30, 2023
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2023
• Deposit Date: Jan 26, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 26, 2023
• Journal: Island studies journal
• Print ISSN: 1715-2593
• Electronic ISSN: 1715-2593
• Publisher: Fróðskaparsetur Føroya (University of the Faroe Islands)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 2
• Article Number: 423
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.24043/isj.423
• Keywords: Domestic violence; Domestic abuse; Social services; Domestic violence support services; Domestic abuse support services; Rural communities; Island communities; COVID-19; Connectivity; Islandness; Pandemic; Telephone
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1866788
• Related Public URLs: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2034925 (Video of project); https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2049031 (Project report); https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1357852 (Conference webinar); https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2023145 (Related article in Policing); https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1346357 (Related report)