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Janine R calmsâ€"Grant enario: An Abused Woman in tire] Ontario Shirley lives in rural Ontario and is used by her husband. There are no tEi‘lbOUrS nearby to hear the abuse. ei doctor and other community and cial service workers who have treated r injuries over the years have avoided 6 issue of wife assault, In spite of the whim and psychological abuse Shir- iiendures. she is pressured by society id her family and friends to remain in e relationship. The nature and small size of her com- unity inhibits privacy, making Shirley luctant to seek help. And the nearest elter and transition houses are located urban centres. a fair distance from her me. Besides, restricted access to the mily‘s vehicle and the constant sur- eillance of her activities by her hus- nd further undermines Shirley's conâ€" dence and ability to seek help. Finally. Shirley builds up enough urage to call the operator for the earest 1â€"800 wife assault helpline. he purposefully calls a toll-free num- er that will not show up on the lephone bill; but Shirley is still taking risk a someone may be listening in on -line. She tells her story and is lieved by the crisis line attendant. Shirley is told about the women‘s elter program in her area and the ser» 'ces it provides. She is asked when the alter program volunteer in her area phone her back. The Program Co- rdinator for the area contacts the olunteer, who then calls Shirley dis- elelY- They provide information and prions from which Shirley is able to 0056 what direction she wants to take. m 'D E. ‘< ural Women’s Shelter Program: onfrontirtg Violence in Rural Wel- ngton County The Coâ€"ordinator for the Rural Drnen's Shelter Program in Nonh ellington. Chris Vrooman, outlined the above scenario. "Scenarios like this," she explained. "are typical of abused women in rural Ontario." The barriers a battered woman in an urban area has to overcome to remedy her abusive situation seem insunnouriiablc: but the obstacles are even greater for an abused woman living in an isolated rural area or community. From its beginning in l977. women from niral Wellington County made use of the 24-hour crisis line available through Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis. Rural women have also used Mananne's Place - a women's shcltcr in Guelph ~ since its establishment in 1978. However. it was felt that these st‘re vices were restricted to those women not facing long distance calling charges Or long drives to Guelph. To help meet the needs of all abused women from rural Wellington County. Guelph-We], lington Women in Crisis tG-W WlCi launched the Rural Women‘s Slicltcr Program (RWSPi in I986». The range of services available to abused women through the Rllt’tll Women's Shelter Program include: - a toliâ€"free 24*l‘ltltll’til‘iNlN Iinc - a safe place to talk - access to Muriunnc‘s PI- ' ter in Guelph! or u local ovcmighi safe place - transportation to the shcltcr or other necessary resources - accompaniment to the hospital. police station or court - self-help and other support groups at various locations - onrgoing telephone support - access to realistic information The Rural Women‘s Shelter Pro, grant is considered a "grass roots" pro- gram - the only one of its kind in On- tario. There are three full-timc employees responsible l‘or adminis- tering and co-ordinaiing the RWSP ll‘l‘ Wellington County and its roster in volunteers. The principles that shape their response to abused women in rural communities tire: - violence against women is not it per- sonal issue. it is it conuiiunity isstic: - change is achieved when abused women ilL‘L‘Cpl responsibility for their lives. both the problems and solutions; - “omen 1111‘ the snui‘cc of their own hurtling. it' tlicy liut‘c stil'cty tlIiLl sup» pun: - ruriil it‘oincri nccd rural support. "it \yc strn c to make the coiiiiiititiii} thc shclicr. the community becomes it stile and securc plucc,” c\pliit|ictl Chris. Co-ordinutor for North Wellington. This is done through the rcci'iiitiiiciit and training of local rural residents (“UiUDlL‘CnL uliu can in tum liclp sup- ptin ithINL‘Li \yoincn iiiitl ittlyticiilc ltir more rcxponsibic community iictinii. All rct‘ruits urc rctimrctl iii untlci‘gti :i lCl‘l’\\-L‘Ci\ training session organich by Women in Crisis sliill and outside prol'cwituittls. Tlic \L‘\\Il|ll\ clarity the c.\tciii til yinlcncc against \t'tiiiicii; Iwcll. lhcy L'tWL'T lhc pcrsritiitl tlitriiiipc \‘litlcttcc Calliscs illtti llic \Lllls tlt‘s‘csstlt')‘ to llllLiU thitt LlilllltlllL‘. \‘VtiilllllL‘L'FH :ti‘c trtiinctl ttiwork \\ itli ititiiyitltmls. .I\ ucll its laicilttiitc and lciitl scll’»|iclp groups. "Real gl’flllllL‘tlllUll.” \ititl tiirt‘ \riiltiittct‘t'. "is when you «cc stunt-mic you liclp bc strung H Traditionally. :in uhiiscd \\‘tl1llt.‘ll was not i‘lL‘llL'UJLi |i_\ Ilicir LittthIT. stit‘iiil wnrltcr tll tltc policc. (‘Iiris \tiitctl Illtll "the rule |ri| litc RWHI’) is hclictinp licr. untl giviin licr it-.i| llllttflllillllill ” Shc L‘xpitliiictl tliiil :thtisctl wririiun tillcn lizivc unrealistic L’\Pt‘L‘ltlllt1ll\ of tlic police. and the "paper" nictliiitls til Lccping tlicir husbanth thll)‘. sticli .|pciicc brilitis and rcstrtiiiiii‘ig tirilci's, Wliilc police wcrc directed in Itiy chargcs ltl till cuscx ol' wilc rissttult beginning in 1083. intu police liirccs rcinuinLinttnnrcnt‘thc provincial(bury; trig politics or rclucttinl ltl cnliircc [hunt on someone they know. In ittltliiitiii. "society still iL‘I‘ILi\ to blame wtsincn lor what liitppciis tn ihcm," explainch nnc volunteer. But (‘Iiris stresses thc ll'llptll'r imrrriiirt‘il mi ‘lltllfl' H its-r Marginnlmi. Mi» |'l‘)l It