The purpose of this study is to explore rural women's experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) and help-seeking across the Prairie Provinces. IPV is behaviour that causes harm to partners in an intimate relationship and includes physical and sexual violence, emotional (psychological) abuse, and controlling behaviours (World Health Organization, 2013). IPV is recognized as a serious social and public health issue with devastating consequences for individuals and families (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2016). Although there is a growing body of research on female survivors of IPV, there is a paucity of research on the experiences of rural women. Existing studies do not provide a clear picture of the unique circumstances of rural women who experience IPV or of the obstacles they face when seeking safety for themselves and their children. The proposed study will address this knowledge gap through a qualitative examination of rural women that will document the ways in which rural culture and context impacts their experience of IPV, how these experiences interact with co-occurring challenges experienced by women, and the barriers and challenges that occur within this context as women seek help. The findings of this research will be used to develop recommendations to improve services for rural women as well as strategies for intervention and prevention and to develop recommendations for future research in this area. This two-year project will be taking place between the spring of 2020 and 2022.

• Environmental Scan

The purpose is to undertake an effectiveness-implementation hybrid (EIH) design study of ATTACH, a parenting program, to be implemented at community agencies across the Prairie Provinces, for families of preschoolers affected by toxic stress.