Projects and Research Areas

This needs assessment project will provide a robust examination of the status of trauma-informed care (TIC) in a healthcare environment and the experiences of secondary traumatic stress among frontline workers in the healthcare profession. This project is funded by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR), Future of Learning and Work Pilot Seed Grant.

Project Lift Up is the only national longitudinal survey of youth and young adults designed to study exposure to SDV (self-directed violence) as well as pathways to engaging in bystander, or helping, behaviors for friends and family at risk for SDV. This project is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.

The Strength at Home (SAH) intervention program has been shown to prevent and end physical and psychological IPV in several studies of military and veteran clients. The primary objective of the current study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of SAH with an IPV intervention program that is based on the standard curriculum offered locally and nationally. This project is funded by Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

This national, online, mixed methods longitudinal survey aims to document rates of adolescent and young adult exposure to different types of self-directed violence and to understand and test a model of providing help to peers. 

The Resilience Portfolio Consortium (RPC) is an international community of scholars and policymakers. We work together to advance the science of resilience and psychosocial strengths, with the ultimate aim of informing prevention, intervention, and reducing the global burden of trauma and its consequences.

The professional development certificate program supports agencies who are eager to expand their knowledge of issues surrounding interpersonal violence with the goal of cultivating a trauma informed workforce. Started in 2011, the program offers agencies the opportunity to enroll in a full 10 course certificate series or choose a selection of courses to create a tailored program to meet their individual program needs.

The Artists Mentoring Against Racism, Drugs, & Violence (AMARD&V) Evaluation is an innovative, bilingual, arts-based violence prevention program for local New Brunswick youth. Designed as a five-week summer program, participants learn different types of art, including theater, dance, printmaking, and visual arts. Additionally, campers participate in various workshops about healthy relationships, self-esteem, resiliency, and empathy.

JAIA is a youth leadership and participatory action mentoring program in the NYC area. JAIA works with diverse youth to build resilience and positive youth development in many spheres. 

Research demonstrates that child welfare workers are in a unique position to identify and support families experiencing domestic violence, but they need the appropriate training. The goal of this project is to create a national online training program for child welfare employees on the topic of interpersonal violence and trauma informed practice. The Program currently has 8 online courses available for enrollment with 2 additional sessions slated to roll out through 2024.

REV developing an on-demand, web-based course for New Jersey medical professionals addressing topics related to the detection, prevention, and reporting of sexual misconduct. The course will consist of 120 mins of interactive learning with knowledge testing and skill-based interactions throughout. Program objectives and content will be informed by Attorney General Administrative Executive Directive No. 2021. The course will be open to enrollment by Medical Doctors in New Jersey during their biennial licensing period.

In 2014, Rutgers was asked by the Obama Administration’s White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault to pilot a campus climate survey tool developed by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women. Researchers from our Center launched the first campus climate survey about sexual violence in 2014-2015. Rutgers campus climate surveys have led to significant changes in campus policies and services regarding sexual and dating violence and harassment.   

The greatest burden of firearm violence falls upon young men, specifically in the Black and Hispanic communities. These gun violence survivors are an underserved population. The aim of this project is to establish the (RGVCC) which involves extensive collaboration among surgeons, interventionalists, primary care practitioners, behavior health specialists, and Hospital Violence Intervention Program social workers to provide better clinical outpatient care and improve socioeconomic and mental health resources to survivors.

In 2020, the Center for Research on Ending Violence, with funding through the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Disability Services, began a multi-phased needs assessment project to identify key gaps in the provision of domestic and sexual violence services to people with disabilities in the state of New Jersey. View the resource hub here.

The CARES program aims to increase student knowledge of the prevalence of dating and sexual violence on campus, while providing a deeper understanding of how traumatic experiences impact survivors. Along with this goal, CARES intends to prepare students to be effective peer supports for anyone experiencing interpersonal violence.

In Ecuador, 43 percent of women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime; the reach of institutional services for IPV survivors, is limited there. This project aims to establish an integrative community therapy initiative in Quito, the capital city. Integrative community therapy (ICT) is a group-based, non-hierarchical approach to promote community support and self-empowerment. Through a collaboration with Muyumpa, the project team is training 10 IPV survivors to become ICT participant facilitators.

This systematic review evaluates outcomes associated with arrest for domestic violence, and whether they differ by race/ethnicity and its intersections with gender. A systematic search of five databases for empirical articles published since 1984 was conducted, resulting in 34 relevant studies out of 1379 potential entries. Information was collected on sample characteristics, methodology, and reported outcomes.
 

The Rutgers Violence Against Women Research Consortium worked collaboratively with interdisciplinary researchers and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) research scientists to identify, implement, and disseminate research and evaluation projects that fill the gaps in our current knowledge on intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual violence (SV), stalking, and teen dating violence (TDV).

Did you know that only 1% of men who batter their intimate partners in the U.S. will enter treatment for domestic violence?! That means that 99% of men who need help to change probably won’t get it. Our research efforts are focused on reaching men who use violence or act abusively and connecting them with innovative interventions or strategies that will stop violence and promote healthy engagement in romantic relationships. 

Starting in July, 2015, the Center for Research on Ending Violence (REV) at Rutgers School of Social Work received funding from the New Jersey Department of Children and Families to evaluate the statewide Domestic Violence Liaison (DVL) program.

The goal of this project is to create and validate a risk assessment tool to be used with domestic violence victims receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) services.