In Rural Tennessee, Domestic Violence Victims Face Barriers to Getting Justice. One County Has Transformed Its Approach.


Domestic violence incidents in Scott County, Tennessee, fell by more than half after it changed the process it uses for handling cases. That’s more than anywhere else in the state. Among other things, the county hired a dedicated domestic violence officer, created an accessible batterers intervention program, combined most of the relevant agencies under one roof, and requires abusers to detail who they are giving their guns to when they have to surrender them.

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