title: Addressing barriers to community care of battered women in rural environments: creating a policy of social inclusion.
abstract: Given domestic violence continues to be a serious social problem, recently acknowledged as a national public health epidemic as well, the need to examine existing formal helping services and address the barriers to service utilization among battered women is warranted. Social exclusion is the process by which multi-dimensionally disadvantaged individuals are prohibited from obtaining formal helping services. Although not a policy per se, many community helpers and organizations inadvertently contribute to erecting barriers which exclude battered women from using such services, particularly in rural environments. Suggestions to transform a process of social exclusion to social inclusion for battered women is offered.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces 88003-8001, USA. judhilbe@nmsu.edu
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hilbert
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Krishnan
mesh_terms: D018585:Battered Women; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups; D009516:New Mexico; D011203:Poverty; D011287:Prejudice; D012423:Rural Health; D012934:Social Isolation; D012935:Social Justice; D016387:Women's Health