Barriers to services for rural and urban survivors of rape.
A significant proportion of survivors of rape do not utilize formal services to cope with the aftermath of rape. Understanding victimization experiences in environments that differ on resources, such as rural versus urban areas, may be an important dimension to consider in understanding barriers. Thirty women (18 rural and 12 urban) were recruited from rape crisis centers to participate in focus groups. Study results suggest that (a) survivors of rape experience many barriers to service utilization, (b) there were some differences in barriers to service utilization that were mentioned only in rural areas and some that were mentioned only in urban areas that may suggest that community context is important to consider in understanding barriers to service use, and (c) barriers to health and mental health services overlap with barriers to criminal justice system services.
Logan
T K
TK
Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, USA.
Evans
Lucy
L
Stevenson
Erin
E
Jordan
Carol E
CE
D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data