Violence and Abuse in Rural America – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Violence and Abuse in Rural America.
"It's on Us": Healthcare's Unique Position in the Response to Human Trafficking
Provides an overview of human trafficking and explains the role healthcare providers can play in addressing this issue in rural communities. Features a rural hospital CEO, a State Office of Rural Health (SORH) director, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, and a Safe Harbor Regional Navigator sharing their experiences combating human trafficking.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Provides an overview of human trafficking and explains the role healthcare providers can play in addressing this issue in rural communities. Features a rural hospital CEO, a State Office of Rural Health (SORH) director, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, and a Safe Harbor Regional Navigator sharing their experiences combating human trafficking.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Mitigating COVID-19's Rural Impact on Families At-Risk for Violence and Child Maltreatment and Neglect
Discusses the potential impact of COVID-19 physical distancing measures on rural children experiencing maltreatment and those living in situations of intimate partner violence. Describes how rural communities and providers can help through community awareness efforts and changes to screening and other service delivery approaches.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Discusses the potential impact of COVID-19 physical distancing measures on rural children experiencing maltreatment and those living in situations of intimate partner violence. Describes how rural communities and providers can help through community awareness efforts and changes to screening and other service delivery approaches.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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SOAR for Native Communities
Training module designed to help people serving tribal communities to understand human trafficking and its impact on American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Includes resources relevant to tribal communities and supports professionals in building trauma-informed and culturally appropriate interventions. Content is free with account creation.
Date: 12/2019
Sponsoring organizations: National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health
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Training module designed to help people serving tribal communities to understand human trafficking and its impact on American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Includes resources relevant to tribal communities and supports professionals in building trauma-informed and culturally appropriate interventions. Content is free with account creation.
Date: 12/2019
Sponsoring organizations: National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health
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Violence Against Hospital Workers: Growing Awareness, Rural Interventions, and Why It Still Goes Unreported
Provides an overview of workplace violence in healthcare settings. Features rural hospitals in Oregon and Idaho that are undertaking a range of prevention activities addressing workplace violence. Also features research findings from a Michigan healthcare system study on the topic, and identifies resources and tools that rural hospital leaders can use to help protect hospital staff.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Provides an overview of workplace violence in healthcare settings. Features rural hospitals in Oregon and Idaho that are undertaking a range of prevention activities addressing workplace violence. Also features research findings from a Michigan healthcare system study on the topic, and identifies resources and tools that rural hospital leaders can use to help protect hospital staff.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Rising from the Ashes: How Trauma-Informed Care Nurtures Healing in Rural America
Provides an overview of trauma-informed care and how it is provided in rural communities. Highlights the provision of trauma-informed care in a rural California community after wildfires, in a Wyoming pediatrician's clinic, and by rural nurses providing assault exams with support from experts via telehealth.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Provides an overview of trauma-informed care and how it is provided in rural communities. Highlights the provision of trauma-informed care in a rural California community after wildfires, in a Wyoming pediatrician's clinic, and by rural nurses providing assault exams with support from experts via telehealth.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Characteristics of School-Associated Youth Homicides — United States, 1994–2018
Examines school-associated youth homicides based on data for single-victim homicides during July 1994-June 2016 and multiple-victim incidents during July 1994-June 2018. Includes information by school locale for rural, suburban, and urban schools.
Author(s): Kristin M. Holland, Jeffrey E. Hall, Jing Wang, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 68(3), 53-60
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Examines school-associated youth homicides based on data for single-victim homicides during July 1994-June 2016 and multiple-victim incidents during July 1994-June 2018. Includes information by school locale for rural, suburban, and urban schools.
Author(s): Kristin M. Holland, Jeffrey E. Hall, Jing Wang, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 68(3), 53-60
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Examining the Availability of SAFE Kits at Hospitals in the United States
Congressional hearing analyzing the availability of sexual assault forensic examiners. Discusses the impact of training, service volume, and workforce retention on access. Notes rural-specific rates of sexual assault and challenges with access to care. Includes testimony from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, International Association of Forensic Nurses, and Futures Without Violence.
Additional links: A. Nicole Clowers Testimony, Kiersten Stewart Testimony, Sara Jennings Testimony
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organizations: House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
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Congressional hearing analyzing the availability of sexual assault forensic examiners. Discusses the impact of training, service volume, and workforce retention on access. Notes rural-specific rates of sexual assault and challenges with access to care. Includes testimony from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, International Association of Forensic Nurses, and Futures Without Violence.
Additional links: A. Nicole Clowers Testimony, Kiersten Stewart Testimony, Sara Jennings Testimony
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organizations: House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
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Rural and Tribal Elder Justice Resource Guide
Provides an overview of elder abuse in rural and tribal communities as presented during a summit event hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative on November 14-15, 2018. Includes statistical data on impacts of elder abuse in rural settings and links to toolkits, federal resources, and community outreach resources. Supplemental document contains speaker presentation slides.
Additional links: Rural and Tribal Elder Justice Summit Materials
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organizations: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Justice
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Provides an overview of elder abuse in rural and tribal communities as presented during a summit event hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative on November 14-15, 2018. Includes statistical data on impacts of elder abuse in rural settings and links to toolkits, federal resources, and community outreach resources. Supplemental document contains speaker presentation slides.
Additional links: Rural and Tribal Elder Justice Summit Materials
Date: 11/2018
Sponsoring organizations: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Justice
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Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence: Some Do's and Don'ts for Health Providers
Discusses the role rural healthcare providers can play in screening for and helping address domestic violence (DV) and interpersonal violence (IPV). Features a Kentucky physician assistant educator, universal screening at an Oregon Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), and insights from a Missouri orthopedic trauma surgeon and a national DV/IPV technical assistance provider.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2018
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Discusses the role rural healthcare providers can play in screening for and helping address domestic violence (DV) and interpersonal violence (IPV). Features a Kentucky physician assistant educator, universal screening at an Oregon Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), and insights from a Missouri orthopedic trauma surgeon and a national DV/IPV technical assistance provider.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2018
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Exploring the Rural Context for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Discusses adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and how they may impact rural health. Provides policy recommendations focused on the rural dimensions of ACEs. Addresses categories of ACEs, prevalence in rural areas and for Native populations, federal efforts to address ACEs, and the opioid epidemic. Covers the role of school-based healthcare programs to increase access to pediatric specialty services or linking children to needed non-medical services. Profiles a committee site visit focused on a model ACEs program in New York in Appendix A.
Date: 08/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Discusses adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and how they may impact rural health. Provides policy recommendations focused on the rural dimensions of ACEs. Addresses categories of ACEs, prevalence in rural areas and for Native populations, federal efforts to address ACEs, and the opioid epidemic. Covers the role of school-based healthcare programs to increase access to pediatric specialty services or linking children to needed non-medical services. Profiles a committee site visit focused on a model ACEs program in New York in Appendix A.
Date: 08/2018
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Last Updated: 9/15/2025