fail to either fail charges or prosecute the charges once filed. Judges are often do not appreciate the difficulties that battered women face. Clearly stated by one women in Rural Women Battering and the Justice System “ when I went in front of him and asked to cancel the domestic violence ruling he asked me why I’d signed it in the first place (p 139).” The asking for dropping charges in order to protect herself and her family is something that warrants understanding not rudeness or chastisement. Religion is fundamental in rural regions. Often times rural judges will order domestic violence cases to religious institutions (Websdale, 1998). This is another factor that allow judicial systems to re-victimize victims. Religious institutions may reinforce rural patriarchy in that they teach families to stick together through thick and thin. Referring battered women to religious institutions runs the risk of continuing to encourage women to stay in abusive relationships. ConclusionThe tragedy of domestic violence is not new. Historically not only have men had legal rights to beat their spouse but is presently socially endorsed in rural regions. Woman battering is a problem in rural regions that has been ignored far too long. As noted by Websdale, 1998 social and geographical isolations make if difficult for women in rural region to escape violent perpertrators. Due to the isolations that rural women encounter accessing help from the criminal justice system is difficult. Women in urban/suburban regions are not present with the same isolations therefore the accessibility of the criminal justice system is much more reasonable. The nature of battering as previously stated in no different in rural regions than that of urban regions. Violence is violence no matter where the incidents occur. ...
