Gender-Based Violence: Rutgers Experts Available

Experts at the Rutgers Center on Violence Against Women and Children, the School of Social Work, are available to discuss gender-based violence, violence prevention and the newly reauthorized Violence Against Women Act.

• Victoria Banyard, professor and associate director of the Center on Violence Against Women and Children

“The tragic events of the past few weeks, including the murder of six Asian American women in Atlanta, remind us that gender-based violence is intricately connected to other forms of oppression, especially systemic racism. These issues are systemic and societal, and need broad solutions. The Violence Against Women Act is one example of a broad based solution which, in conjunction with social justice movements and multi-pronged prevention strategies, can begin to make connections between systemic inequalities and support leadership in communities most affected.”

Banyard’s research focuses on the prevention of and responses to interpersonal violence, and why prevention programs succeed or fail.

• Rupa M. Khetarpal, assistant professor of teaching and coordinator for the Violence Against Women Certificate program

“Hate crimes such as the murder of six Asian women this week continue to reiterate the existence of racism and gender-based violence in the U.S.,” said Khetarpal. “Creating safety for all requires strategic and multidisciplinary efforts that promote tolerance and social justice, where deeply ingrained false cultural beliefs are challenged and perpetrators held accountable. Safety is a human right and with education and collaborative strategies we must insist on sustainable and safer environments for all. Legislation such as the Violence Against Women Act offers just one important step to ensuring funding is available for services in this area to grow and continue.”

Khetarpal’s research areas include global gender-based violence, cross cultural identities, resilience in traumatized populations, treatment of complex trauma, grief, loss and mourning, and fostering the development of future social workers through education and supervision.

• Sarah McMahon, associate professor and director of the Center on Violence Against Women and Children

McMahon’s research focuses on violence against women, with an emphasis on using ecological frameworks to examine prevention and social change. She has extensive experience in designing and implementing studies with college students to measure their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to sexual violence, with a focus on bystander intervention and campus climate. McMahon was appointed to the New Jersey Campus Sexual Assault Task Force and also serves on the Advisory Board for the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. She has numerous publications on the topic of sexual violence and has presented her work around the country.