🏛️ What Rural Women Need from Policymakers

My professional advocacy work in domestic and sexual violence began in racially and economically diverse rural areas. 

Rural women experiencing domestic violence face unique, compounded challenges—yet policy responses rarely account for these barriers. If we want to truly protect all Survivors, we need bold, inclusive, and localized action.

Here’s what rural women need from political and policy leaders:

1. Increased Funding for Rural Shelters & Safe Houses

Many rural counties have no shelter at all. Survivors may be forced to drive for hours—if they even have a car. Funding must prioritize under-resourced areas.

2. Mobile Advocacy and Crisis Response Units

Law enforcement isn’t always trained—or trusted. Mobile advocates and rapid response teams that understand domestic violence can fill the gaps when local help is unavailable or unsafe.

3. Broadband and Cellular Infrastructure Investment

Without phone or internet access, rural women can’t call hotlines, attend virtual court hearings, or reach support groups. Broadband access is a safety issue, not just a tech issue.

4. Stronger Protections and Training for Rural Law Enforcement

Officers need trauma-informed training and clear policies for responding to domestic violence. Survivors need to know that protection orders and calls for help will be taken seriously—every time.

5. Safe, Confidential Transportation Assistance

Survivors often stay trapped due to lack of transportation. Programs that offer confidential travel assistance to shelters, legal appointments, or hospitals are vital.

6. Support for Rural Legal Aid Services

Many rural areas have few (if any) attorneys trained in domestic violence law. Survivors need help securing protective orders, custody, housing, and immigration relief.

7. Expanded Paid Leave and Workplace Protections

Rural women working in farming, service, or healthcare often don’t have access to paid leave. Survivors should not have to risk their jobs to escape abuse or attend court.

8. Childcare Assistance During Crisis Transitions

Leaving is hard enough. Trying to attend court, counseling, or job interviews while caring for young children makes it even harder. Flexible childcare access is essential.

9. Policies That Respect Cultural, Regional, and Faith-Based Needs

One-size-fits-all doesn’t work. Policies must honor the specific realities of Indigenous communities, Black rural women, immigrants, and others facing layered marginalization.

10. Consistent Oversight and Survivor-Informed Policy Input

Too many rural programs are created without input from actual Survivors. We need oversight boards that include rural women who’ve lived it—and who know what works and what doesn’t.

✊🏽 Final Word:

When rural women are forgotten by policymakers, they are placed in even greater danger.
Safety is not a luxury—it’s a right.
It’s time for policies that reflect the full truth of Survivors’ lives, no matter how far out the road goes.