Although there is a considerable body of knowledge about domestic violence, a limited proportion focuses on domestic violence in rural settings. Using a nonprobability purposive sampling technique, 93 providers of domestic violence services from rural and urban localities in North Carolina and Virginia were located and asked to complete a self-administered survey soliciting provider perceptions about service consumers, the general public, themselves, and inter- and intra-agency issues. Significant differences were observed between rural and urban providers about service consumer needs and experiences, perceptions about the general public, area resource availability, agency funding, provider training, and worker safety. Implications of these differences are discussed.
Community Mental Health Services Domestic Violence