eople often dream of small town life. It’s the idea of belonging, I think. My local supermarket, my post office, my bank and my chemist are in the same block. My newsagent is also my cafe. Every time I go to town, people can see where I go and who I meet. Life is conducted in a goldfish bowl.
It’s not hard to imagine that living in such a community with an abusive partner could be a trap. So it was something of a relief to hear the Forbes mayor, Phyllis Miller, cut to the chase. As the handwringing continued in this latestIt is not safe for women to live in rural and regional New South Wales.
All of the elements that create greater hurdles in other life services such as health, education, childcare, government support and transport in turn make domestic violence protection and support more challenging.And while nobody talks about it much, there are cultural differences that make rural incidents volatile, more deadly and in some ways more pervasive.
She found a higher incidence in rural areas even though associated risk factors are similar between urban and rural cases. Those factors include previous violence against intimate partners, stalking, pending or actual separation, ownership of lethal weapons, substance use and mental illness. Another key factor is the very male culture of the bush, long celebrated and interrogated in Australian history, myth and legend. While metropolitan culture may have shifted somewhat under the weight of diversity, the bush remains a very male place.
Even when guns are not used, McLachlan says the ownership of guns can amplify coercive control that may stop women from speaking up or leaving.