Introduction: Community, Battering, and Safety

This chapter provides the theoretical and practical backdrop for the challenges of responding to intimate partner violence in low-income countries, particularly in communities where anonymity is low, and identity or emotional support is inextricably connected to family and friends. Relevant literature on intimate partner violence, the role of community, criminal justice, and feminist initiatives are reviewed. The limitations of formal responses to intimate partner violence in these settings, such as rural areas, small islands, and tribal communities, are discussed as well.