Victim Researcher Profile

BIO

Carol E. Jordan currently serves as the Executive Director of the University of Kentucky Office for Policy Studies on Violence Against Women in the College of Arts & Sciences. She holds faculty appointments in the Department of Psychology and the Department of Psychiatry. Jordan has over 34 years of experience in public policy, legislative advocacy, research and writing, and the development of programs addressing intimate partner violence, rape and stalking. Following graduate school, she held her first position in a domestic violence shelter and went on to serve as the first director of a statewide sexual and domestic violence program in the Department for Mental Health. While in the Department, she helped expand the number of rape crisis centers in Kentucky from four to thirteen and secured the first state funding for these programs. In 1996, she was appointed by Governor Paul E. Patton to serve as the founding executive director for the Governor's Office of Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Services, a position she held for eight years. During her time in the Governor's Office, funding for domestic violence programs and rape crisis centers increased 42% and 129%, respectively. During that time, she also served as the primary staff for the Governor's Council on Domestic Violence and the Governor's Task Force on Sexual Assault. She testified before the Kentucky Supreme Court in a successful effort to expand the rape shield law to civil cases. A primary focus of Jordan's career has been advancing legal and legislative reform. She has authored/co-authored 30 pieces of legislation; including criminal and civil justice reforms related to domestic violence, rape, and stalking; bills to expand and strengthen services to victims, and legislation to advance victim's rights. Jordan has authored three books, eight book chapters and over 40 peer reviewed articles on violence against women, particularly focusing on civil and criminal justice issues related to rape, domestic violence, and stalking; the victimization of college women; and the history of legislative reform on violence against women. Her most recent book was published by the University Press of Kentucky in June 2014, and was the first of its kind focusing on the legislative history of addressing violence against in the Commonwealth. It was selected to receive the Thomas D. Clark Medallion Book Award for 2014. Jordan has been recognized nationally by the National Foundation for the Improvement of Justice, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. She has also received awards from the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs, the Kentucky Mental Health Coalition, the Kentucky Psychological Association, and the Kentucky General Assembly for her work. In 2010, she was awarded a Presidential Proclamation by Texas A&M University.

VICTIMIZATION FOCUS

Campus Sexual Assault, Dating Violence (Teen), Domestic and Family Violence, Homicide Survivors/Co-victims, Sexual Abuse or Violence (other than campus sexual assault), Stalking

SPECIAL POPULATIONS

Formerly incarcerated victims

RESEARCH EXPERTISE

Community-based participatory research, Data collection, Qualitative studies, Quantitative studies

VICTIM RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Community-based participatory research, Data collection, Qualitative studies, Quantitative studies