WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) - Oil-impacted regions in North Dakota have seen a rise of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking amid the recent energy boom.
A new study showed “significant increases” for sexually-based crime in oil-impacted communities, but observed an opposite effect outside the Bakken region, the Williston Herald (https://bit.ly/2f0S665) reported.
“If you look at the numbers from 2008 to 2014, we found an increase of 72 percent in dating violence, with domestic violence at 47 percent,” said Elizabeth Legerski, University of North Dakota assistant professor of sociology.
Many residents have quickly drawn conclusions that the crime rate was dependent on the influx of transient workers to the region, but the study found complex factors caused the situation.
Legerski told the Williston Basin Resource Coalition on Thursday that conditions ripe for aggression and violence were created by the male to female ratio imbalance, strenuous work schedules in the oilfield and disposable income in an isolated region that lacks recreational outlets.
“This is such a complex issue, and the contextual sections are so important,” said Legerski.
In the interviews conducted some issues mentioned were lack of affordable housing that made for risky living situations, isolation from mental health resources and concerns about affordable childcare that would allow women to remain working.
“I will say the resilience in these communities, I was struck by that,” said Thomasine Heitkamp University of North Dakota professor of social work “Your capacity to respond was incredibly significant.”
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Information from: Williston Herald, https://www.willistonherald.com
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