Domestic Violence in Rural Australia

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'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's and human service workers 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'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 rural culture. The book is written for those involved in social care practice in rural communities, policy development, and tertiary students.