A year ago, I authored Transformation House’s inaugural blog titled Domestic Violence Remains An Epidemic. Some readers may have considered the title mere hyperbole- an exaggeration. However, the news cycle is replete with stories and statistics that substantiate the veracity of the title. An article published this month reported that Texas domestic violence (DV) homicides have nearly doubled in the past ten years, while another report attests that DV murders in Texas are going up. Bexar County, the 4^th largest county in Texas, reports that the number of homicides involving family and DV have increased in 2024. As of September 2024, the total number of homicides was 15 which has already surpassed the total in 2023 of 14. Bexar county has reported a 78% rise in the number of DV cases between 2015 and 2020.

While research and news stories illustrate the continuing increase of DV and intimate partner violence (IPV), these reports seem to be met with indifference. Is it owing to the ubiquitous nature of these stories? Have we become a society desensitized to the harsh and tragic reality experienced by those imprisoned in the cycle of DV/IPV?  There are some stories that seep into our collective consciousness seeming to awaken us from our slumber.  One such story involves a Bexar County mother of four who has been missing for over 2 weeks. While authorities continue their search, which includes the family home, landfills, wooded areas, and locations in Kendall County, her husband remains in custody on two misdemeanors and two felony charges. The felony charges include the possession of illegal firearms. It would be remiss not to mention that 54% of DV homicides involve firearms.

Though Bexar County borders Kendall County, some within Kendall County may maintain that the problems of DV/IPV remain an urban phenomenon. However, let us remember that less than 3 years ago a murder suicide took the life of a young mother of six in Kendall County. The mother was shot by her husband in their home on New Years Eve 2022.  While the victim’s mother acknowledged that her son-in-law had a history of violence against his wife, no police reports were ever filed. The lack of police reporting remains a common thread in both urban and rural areas. Note that research maintains that only between 10-25% of DV incidences are reported to authorities. Those in rural communities are even less likely to seek out assistance furthering the perception that instances of DV/IPV within rural communities are rare.

Some within rural communities may believe that the increase in cases and homicides does not accurately represent their reality. The truth remains clear that rural communities are not immune to the epidemic of domestic violence. One research study found that the degree of abuse, to include the severity and prevalence of physical and sexual abuse was higher among women living in small or isolated rural counties. Another study conducted in 2018 stated that “intimate partner violence is more severe, and homicide is more prevalent in rural areas” (Reckenwald, Yohros & Szalewski, 2018). This study challenges the perception that DV/IPV is mainly an urban matter by pointing out that it can be just as alarming in rural areas. For example, several studies indicate that visits to emergency rooms tend to be higher in rural counties as compared to their urban counterparts. Another report states that the frequency of emergency room visits among those between the ages of 15-64 was higher in rural versus urban areas in all regions except the Midwest. Experts explain that the lack of resources in rural communities leaves an individual at greater risk of escalating violence to the level of requiring hospitalization.  One reason for this disparity is that rural women have less access to shelters, physical and mental health professionals, law enforcement, and judicial personal.

Let’s look at the role emergency shelters play. A recent news report cited that Comal County has reported an increase in people needing to leave unhealthy environments. However, the lack of capacity at emergency shelters in rural areas continues to impact survivors of DV/IPV. Presently, both the Crisis Center of Comal County and the Kendall County Women’s Shelter report that they are at or over capacity. Unfortunately, this reflects a trend that communities’ content with.  The lack of availability highlights the research finding which maintain that rural women are nearly twice as likely to be turned away because of insufficient resources. Where are the victims of DV/IPV expected to turn as limited resources continue to diminish? Note, December 2023 saw a lack of emergency beds in Bexar County, and surrounding counties. One wonders where the women seeking services turned to.

Several factors contribute to the prevalence of DV/IPV within rural communities, which include isolation, cultural norms/stigma, lack of awareness/education, protective orders, law enforcement response, lack of capacity at DV/IPV shelters. One significant challenge for those in rural areas is how isolation due to geographic location exacerbates an individual’s vulnerability to abuse. Secluded living situations augments the abusers control keeping the individual away from family, friends, and the community. Isolation coupled with a lack of reliable or public transportation makes it almost impossible for an individual to seek help and restricts options for leaving an abusive relationship. Apart from isolation, cultural norms and stigma within rural communities may thwart an individual from seeking help. In some instances, individuals are made to feel ashamed due to community expectations and the fear of being alienated by their community.  Lack of awareness and education about the issue remains a salient factor in the persistence of DV/IPV in rural areas. Some individuals may not fully comprehend what constitutes DV/IPV. For instance, some place sexual assault apart from DV/IPV even though sexual assault occurs within DV/IPV.  



Engaging and collaborating with local organizations can serve to mitigate some of the risk factors that rural communities face. The first step is to recognize that DV/IPV exists within our communities and have real conversations about how to face this reality. Combating DV/IPV in rural areas takes a multifaceted approach involving community awareness, adapted solutions, and a comprehensive community response. The Institute for Coordinated Community Response (ICCR) helps rural communities develop a coordinated community response to DV. This program brings different agencies together to response to DV/IPV yielding healthier outcomes for victims and their children. The ICCR provides a model which can serve rural communities by drawing upon the communities’ strengths, talents, and generous spirit. It appears to be a viable solution for reducing the rates of DV/IPV incidents and homicides.  It is something we here at Transformation House continue to advocate for.