Victim Researcher Profile

BIO

Dr. Susan Fineran is professor emerita at the University of Southern Maine School of Social Work and Women and Gender Studies. Her professional career includes clinical experience in the areas of aging, substance abuse, child and family treatment, sex discrimination and women’s issues. Her research interests include peer sexual harassment and bullying in schools and the mental health implications for children and adolescents. Her current work has focused on campus sexual assault and she is a recipient of three Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women Campus Grant Awards (2009, 2013, & 2017). Her education includes an MSW from the Catholic University of America, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Massachusetts. A researcher in this field since 1995, Dr. Fineran was invited to present at the 2011 National Summit on Gender-Based Violence among Young People, hosted by the U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools and the U.S. National Institute of Justice in Washington, DC. Two of her early studies were cited in amicus briefs regarding the responsibility of schools to provide an environment protected from sexual harassment by peers [1999 United States Supreme Court, Davis v. Monroe County board of Education (97-843)]. Dr. Fineran’s research has also focused on the effects of bullying and sexual harassment on sexual minority youth and she has been an advocate for instituting more prevention education to combat sexual harassment in K-12 schools. Additionally, she has conducted the few studies examining sexual harassment of working teenagers in high school. This research has been highlighted in a number of national publications including; The Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, E-Zine AlterNet, Family Circle, The Oregonian, and NASW News. One study conducted in collaboration with the Maine Department of Labor, surveyed working Maine teenagers. Findings confirmed that 35% of teens experience sexual harassment at their jobs.

VICTIMIZATION FOCUS

Bullying, Campus Sexual Assault, Dating Violence (Teen), Domestic and Family Violence, sexual harassment

SPECIAL POPULATIONS

Child victims, Victims with disabilities, LGBTQ victims, teens and adults who experience sexual harassment in education and at work

RESEARCH EXPERTISE

Action research, Community-based participatory research, Data collection, Descriptive studies, Ethnography, Needs assessment, Program evaluation, Qualitative studies, Quantitative studies, Quasi-experimental studies

VICTIM RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Action research, Community-based participatory research, Data collection, Descriptive studies, Ethnography, Needs assessment, Program evaluation, Qualitative studies, Quantitative studies, Quasi-experimental studies