Interpersonal Violence as a Precursor to Incarceration in a Rural Virginia Jail

Justice-involved women report alarmingly high rates of domestic violence (DV), sexual violence (SV), intimate partner violence (IPV), and childhood exposures to violence. Women incarcerated in rural communities also face a lack of resources before, during, and after incarceration. These disparities highlight the need for further research into their experiences. To examine this, we interviewed 15 women at a rural jail in Southwest Virginia and asked them to describe their experiences with violence and substance use (SU), their resource needs, and their relationships. We recorded, transcribed, and coded interviews and conducted a thematic analysis. Nine themes were identified: childhood exposures to violence, influential relationships, acute impacts of violence, cumulative impacts of violence, impacts of violence on children, adult exposures to interpersonal violence, survival/resilience, associations between SU and IPV, and systemic failures/resources needed. These findings highlight the profound impacts of violence and the need for improved support for rural justice-involved women.