Natural England

The good life? domestic violence in rural areas - 15/09/03

The in-depth research* provides a unique insight into the often hidden experiences of children escaping domestic violence in rural areas and points the way to much needed solutions for service providers.   It found serious gaps in the services provided to this vulnerable group, from housing to education as well as a lack of awareness amongst young people of the range of support available to them.   The report calls on rural service providers to be more proactive in promoting themselves.  

Problems with schooling and social isolation are highlighted as key issues by those children and service providers questioned in the study.   In cases where rural children had had to move away to escape violence, it could be a number of months before a school place was found for them, which had significant social and academic consequences.   Abrupt departures from friends, often with no opportunity to say goodbye, were found to be particularly distressing.   Geographical isolation also made it difficult for children in rural areas to forge new friendships.

Commenting on the report called Children and Domestic Violence in Rural Areas, Countryside Agency director, Margaret Clark said: ‘Domestic violence has serious consequences for young people, even when they are not being physically abused.   It can result in sudden moves to emergency accommodation, disrupted education and emotional dislocation.   But this study reveals that there is a serious vacuum when it comes to support for many children and young people who are escaping violent homes in rural areas.   There is a need for greater collaboration between the various agencies, which are in contact with these children, especially in rural areas where support services are more difficult to deliver and where often there are significant gaps.’    

Carol Sexty, Policy and Research Manager at Save the Children said:   ‘The research worryingly indicates that it is most often children who are the hidden victims of domestic violence in rural areas, and children who are further penalised by the gaps in service provision which leave them vulnerable to disaffection from the education system and society as a whole.’

Sexty continues: ‘We strongly urge national and local policy makers and service providers to listen to these young people and ensure that adequate resources are provided so that these children and young people are given the support and services they so desperately need.’

The report found lack of affordable housing to be a serious problem with teenage boys facing particular difficulties because many refuges will not accept them.   This means they frequently have to remain in the family home or move out to stay with friends and relatives.

Children were also concerned at having to leave household pets behind and for farming families this problem was particularly acute.   Many women and young people find it almost impossible to leave when it means abandoning their farm animals, as well as their livelihood.

Other findings from the report include: 

·        A fear of involving social services by many mothers in any domestic violence situation, in case their children are taken away

• Poor emotional support for children who have witnessed domestic violence, particularly for younger children between the ages of five and eleven. 
• A lack of child-friendly housing
• Poor understanding amongst teachers of the needs of children who have experienced domestic violence   

The report highlights the need for potential funders to provide long-term support for new services for victims in rural areas and for local authorities to encourage more joined up services at a local level.

Other recommendations include: 

• Teacher training courses and schools to include the subject of domestic violence on the curriculum and schools to forge better relationships with local refuges and other domestic violence support services in their areas.   

·        The need for suitable temporary accommodation and permanent housing to be found for mothers and teenage boys fleeing domestic violence. 

·        Women’s refuges to establish more consistent aftercare services for former refuge residents. 

·        Organisations such as Paws for Kids* (see notes to editors) to be more widely advertised through local press, veterinary surgeries and pet shops

The report, Children and Domestic Violence in Rural Areas, is available from Save the Children, tel: 01752 202301 or orders@plymbridge.command and costs £7.50.   

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·         *The research called Children and Domestic Violence in Rural Areas: a child-focussed assessment of service provision, involved carrying out in-depth interviews with a small sample of children and young people (19), some parents (5) and 39 service providers, plus questionnaires from 29 local authorities.

• The Countryside Agency is the statutory body working to make the quality of life better for people in the countryside and the quality of the countryside better for everyone.  www.countryside.gov.uk 
• Save the Children is the UK’s leading international children’s charity working in the UK and over 70 countries overseas.     
• *Paws for Kids is a charity which ‘fosters’ the pet animals of women and children escaping domestic violence.      

One child said: ‘It hurt when I had to leave all my friends behind.’

Another child was forced to give away her cat after she and her mother moved into a refuge, because her father was neglecting it and she couldn’t take it with her.

Getting into new schools:

A young person said: ‘I’ve been missing all my friends and missing out on the work and these last two years are my most important years.’

Another young person had lived in seven different refuges over the past five years, and she did not attend school at all during this period.   Most of the young people interviewed had moved schools three or four times because of domestic violence.

Once at school:

Some children adopted aggressive behaviour at school and other children described how they were being bullied by other children.

Teenage boys:

The general policy in refuges is not to allow males of 16 to live there, but in some cases boys of 13 or 14 are barred.   In one case where a mother’s 14 year old son had to stay behind with his father, the mother said: ‘it’s like someone has torn your heart out.’