Strategically Developing Community-Academic Collaborations for Trauma-Informed Victim Services and Evaluation Research

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

Objective: Interpersonal violence, defined as an experience in which an individual is intentionally victimized (e.g., sexual assault) or exposed to trauma (e.g., witnessing violence) by another, is linked to a host of poor psychosocial outcomes. Given the deleterious effects of interpersonal trauma, trauma-exposed individuals often interface with community partners who provide victim services. Preliminary evidence supports the notion that survivors and human service professionals in organizations that adhere to the principles of trauma-informed care (TIC) fair better. To increase access to evidence-based, survivor-centered services, it is critical to understand how trauma-informed programs are developed, implemented, evaluated, and sustained in collaboration with community partners.
Data/Method: In this complete thematic panel, we present findings from community-based, mixed methods, action-oriented research spearheaded by experts in sociology, psychology, and criminology.
Results: We describe the importance of using a trauma-informed lens to conduct implementation and evaluation research in victim services agencies, with the goal of increasing access and enacting sustainable change. We then detail the development and implementation of community-academic victim service initiatives integrated in a university system, domestic violence shelter, and human trafficking collaborative.
Conclusions/Implications: Overall, these data provide various models for conducting survivor-centered, trauma-informed implementation science and evaluation research in collaboration with diverse communities.

Sub Unit

• Area V. Victimization / 39. Consequences of Victimization

Individual Presentations

• The Value of Researcher-Practitioner Collaboration in Providing and Evaluating Trauma-Informed Victim Services - Sarah Koon-Magnin, Christopher Newport University

• Bridging Academia and Advocacy: Victim Service Agencies’ Perspectives on Developing a University-Based Victim Services Certificate - Katherine A. Meeker, University of South Alabama; Alexis R. Rockwell, University of South Alabama

• Estimating Prevalence of Human Trafficking and Building Capacity: Findings from an Action Research Project in Greater Cleveland - Rachel Lovell, Cleveland State University; Claire Marshall, Cleveland State University; Eric Matheny, Collaborative to End Human Trafficking; Kirsti Mouncey, Collaborative to End Human Trafficking

• Using Implementation Science to Establish a Safe Housing Pet Program at a Domestic Violence Shelter - Emma Lathan, Auburn University; Emily J. Lubin, Auburn University; Hailie R. Suarez-Rivas, Auburn University; Emma Carpenter, Auburn University; Phillip Moon, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine; Brendan Bergquist, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine

Chair

• Emma Lathan, Auburn University