Barriers to Providing Services Experienced by Rural Domestic Violence Service Centers in Pennsylvania During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Research examining how the COVID-19 pandemic affected assistance provided to domestic violence victims has produced mixed results with specific evidence about the effects on rural service providers in the United States being quite rare. The objective of this research was to survey Pennsylvania’s rural domestic violence service providers to identify their ability to respond to the challenges of the pandemic with expectations of guiding service providers to be better prepared for managing public health and other states of emergencies. A mixed-methods approach was used to assess five aspects of domestic violence responses including agency services, staffing, funding, clients, and interagency collaboration. The findings suggest respondents’ greatest concerns about providing services during the pandemic were related to funding, staffing, and client access to services. Policy recommendations based on these findings include establishing greater advocacy for service providers, creating victim-focused interagency advisory boards, evaluating and improving a supportive workplace culture, and reducing restrictions on the use of funds during a state of emergency.