Conference on rural violence at the University of Alabama wrapping up Thursday

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) – The plight of violence in rural communities brought dozens of people to Tuscaloosa this week for a conference that looks at what can be done to better address what’s happening in rural parts of Alabama.

The University of Alabama’s College of Community Health Sciences organizes the conference with a different topic each year.

This year, they looking at violence happening in rural communities in Alabama, including domestic violence and violent crime.

Healthcare professionals, community leaders, researchers, and others are sharing information. Speakers are discussing individual, domestic, and community violence.

Organizers say many times people don’t take action until something bad happens. They hope the people attending the conference can learn something and take it back to their home community where it can be implemented to make a difference.

“Firearms are the number one cause of death in our children,” said Luanne Friend, UA Associate Professor of Family and Rural Medicine. “And Alabama has a very high firearm injury rate, including homicide and suicide.”

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Susan Page with the University of Alabama said they are really focusing on individual, community, and domestic violence.

She said they’re “drilling down into the preparedness, prevention, and recovery in each of those areas.”

The rural violence conference ends Thursday.

They’ll discuss topics including self-defense training and drug facilitated sexual assaults before ending this year’s conference.

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