RiTA was founded to address a gap that has been consistently overlooked in the UK: the experience of domestic abuse in rural communities. Despite growing national focus on domestic abuse and violence against women, girls and children, policy, strategy and service design remain largely shaped by urban contexts. Rural realities, including isolation, limited access to services, housing and transport, and the impact of close-knit communities, are not fully reflected in how responses are designed or delivered.

Through my work across housing, health and domestic abuse systems, I saw this gap repeatedly. Rural experiences were rarely centred in policy or commissioning, and survivors were often described as “hard to reach” rather than acknowledged as being designed to reach them. Growing up in rural Shropshire and working in rural practice, I saw first hand how geography, inequality and community dynamics can shape both risk and access to support.

The 2019 Captive & Controlled report by the National Rural Crime Network highlighted these issues clearly, yet years later, much of the change called for has not been realised. In 2023, I undertook a Churchill Fellowship to explore how rural communities in the USA, Canada and Australia are responding to domestic abuse. I met practitioners, advocates and communities developing coordinated, locally grounded approaches - often with limited resources, but strong relationships and deep understanding of place.

This learning reinforced the need for a dedicated organisation in the UK. RiTA was created to bring together rural and domestic abuse sectors, share learning, strengthen coordination and influence change - ensuring that rural communities are no longer overlooked and that victims and survivors can access the safety and support they need. 

Judith, Founder