Domestic abuse: Extra 'challenges' for women in rural communities

A domestic abuse survivor says living in a rural community led to "extra challenges" when trying to get justice.

On the second day of the Royal Welsh Show, the National Federation of Women's Institute (NFWI) Wales are calling on people living rurally to do more to tackle violence against women and girls in their communities.

Rhianon Bragg's attacker, Gareth Wyn Jones, was jailed for four-and-a-half years for a number of offences, including keeping her at gunpoint.

She said: "Domestic abuse and stalking are no better or worse whereever you live but I definitely think I hit additional challenges, and still do, from living rurally.

"One of the biggest challenges I hit in my early stages of reporting to police was that I had no witnesses. There just aren't that many people around."

Rhianon says her abuser took advantage of the fact that she lived in a secluded place where you can walk for miles without seeing anyone.

She said: "The isolation where we have in rural communities, for some people, it's part of the benefits. But he absolutely maximised that.

"The countryside, the area I live in, it's still home. I feel safe at the moment because he's locked up.

"But you do feel much more vulnerable when you become aware of the additional risks living rurally puts forward."

One in three women in Wales will experience domestic violence at the hands of a partner during their lives. 150,000 will suffer some form of gender-based violence.

The 'Not In My Name' campaign aims to shine a light on this crime and encourage everyone to play their part in changing our culture for the better.

Jill Rundle, Chair of NFWI-Wales said: “Ending violence against women is everyone’s business.

"It is a violation of women’s human rights, and to highlight the importance of engaging all members of society in making a stand against violence against women to help us achieve societal change.”

The damage can "pass through the generations and Joyce Watson MS, Mid and West Wales, said: “I have seen the impact of domestic abuse first hand, living in rural Wales".

She continued: "Sometimes with less local services, the sense of isolation and urge to stay silent can feel even greater."

The FUW is keen to challenge "inappropriate attitudes and behaviours that lead to violence against women." It has previously worked with the DPJ Foundation in 2021 to raise awareness of domestic abuse in rural communities.

It provides training for staff to better understand domestic abuse and how to sign post people to specialist support.  

The FUW's President Ian Rickman acknowledges the Agriculture industry is not immune from those behaviours and said: "In many instances it is worse for women in isolated rural communities – often unable, or not knowing how to access support, so it’s even more important that our rural communities hear about the ‘not in my name campaign’."

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