Rural Differences in Victim Vulnerability and Revictimization of Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the association between the victim vulnerability factors included in the intimate partner violence (IPV) risk assessment tool used by the Swedish police (Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk [B-SAFER]) and rates of IPV revictimization among female victims living in rural towns, countryside, or remote areas. This study also aimed to examine the interaction between rurality and IPV revictimization in relation to victim vulnerability. The sample consisted of 695 cases of male-to-female perpetrated IPV, which had been reported to the Swedish police and subjected to a B-SAFER assessment. Rates of revictimization were examined in police registers. The results demonstrated that several vulnerability factors could discriminate between IPV revictimization across rurality. There was also an interaction effect between rurality and IPV revictimization in relation to the number of victim vulnerability factors present, where revictimization was more common for victims with many vulnerability factors living in more sparsely populated areas.