Degrees

Ph.D., M.A., University of New Hampshire
B.A., Denison University

Main Interests

Sociology of the Family, Gender Inequality, Domestic Violence, Feminist Research

Research Interests

My research focuses on wife abuse, including battering, marital rape, and abuse during pregnancy. I have published a number of articles and books on these issues. I recently conducted family violence research in Estonia as a Fulbright Senior Specialist and I continue my involvement in a project assessing levels of domestic abuse in Estonia. I have also worked on projects with both Boston Children's Hospital and the U.S. Marine Corps evaluating the effectiveness of efforts to reduce domestic violence. I have served on the editorial boards of several journals including Gender and Society, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, and Violence Abstracts.

Teaching Interests

I teach courses on families in transition, aging in America, gender inequality, and a seminar on violence against women. The seminar culminates with a community symposium to raise awareness about violence.

Other Interests

In addition to my work in Sociology, I am interested in alternative education. I am the co-founder of The Pinecroft School, an independent elementary school for grades K-5 located adjacent to the Wheaton campus, where my two children were students. A number of Wheaton students serve as Pinecroft interns each year.

Publications

"Marital Rape" in V. Parillo (ed) Encyclopedia of Social Problems Sage Publication, 2007.

"Gender, Diversity and Violence: Expanding the Feminist Framework" in Gelles, R. and D. Loseke (eds) Current Controversies on Family Violence (2nd edition) Sage Publication, 2005. Reprinted in Sarah Ferguson (ed.) Shifting the Center: Understanding Contemporary Families (3rd Ed.) 2006.

"An Interview with Kersti Yllo" in Ola Barnett et al. (eds.) Family Violence Across the Lifespan (2nd ed.) Sage Publications, 2005.

"Wife Rape: a Social Problem for the 21st Century." Violence Against Women 5:1059-1063, 1999.

"The Silence Surrounding Sexual Violence: the Challenge Marital Rape Poses for the Duluth Model", in Pence, E. and M. Shepard (eds) Coordinating Community Response to Domestic Violence: Lessons from Duluth. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1999.

"Collaboration Between Researchers and Advocates" (with E. Gondolf and J. Campbell) in G. Kantor and J. Jasinski (eds.), Out of the Darkness: Contemporary Perspectives on Family Violence. Sage Publication, 1997.

"Marital Rape" in R. Gelles (ed.), Vision 2010: families, Violence, Abuse and Neglect, Vol. 3, #1, 1996.

"Through A Feminist Lens: Gender, Power and Violence"" in Gelles, R. and D. Loseke (Eds.), Controversies in Family Violence, Sage Publications, 1994.

"Reflections of a Feminist Family Violence Researcher," in Sollie, D. and L. Leigh (Eds) (revised and expanded version of "Political and Methodological Debates" chapter) in Feminism and the Study of Family and Close Relationships, Sage Publications, 1994.

"Pregnant Woman Abuse and Adverse Birth Outcomes: Current Knowledge and Implications for Practice" in S. Fuchs, et al. (Eds.) (with E. Newberger, et al.) Pre-Term Birth: Causes, Prevention and Treatment (2nd ed) NY: Pergamon, 1993. (Expanded version of JAMA article).

"Abuse of Pregnant Women and Adverse Birth Outcome," (with Eli Newberger, et al.) Journal of American Medical Association, 267:2370-2372 (May 6, 1992).

"Re-Visions: How the New Scholarship on Women Transforms the College Curriculum," American Behavioral Scientist 32:658-667 (July/August 1989).

"Family Secrets: Teaching about Violence Against Women," Radical Teacher 36:19-22 (December, 1989).

Feminist Perspectives on Wife Abuse (co-edited with M. Bograd) Cal: Sage Publications, 1988.

Stopping Family Violence: An Agenda of Research Priorities for the Coming Decade. (contributing author with D. Finkelhor and G. Hotaling) Cal: Sage Publications, 1988.

Love Stories: Women, Men and Romance (co-producer with R. Broadman, J. Grady and J. Smith). A CineResearch Production (87 minute documentary film on the social history of intimacy), 1988.

License to Rape: Sexual Abuse of Wives. (with D. Finkelhor) New York: Holt, Rinehart, Winston Publishers, 1985. (available in paperback from the Free Press).

"Marital Rape: A Review of Recent Research" (with D. Finklehor) in Ann Burgess (ed.) Rape and Sexual Assault: A Research Handbook. NY: Garland Press 1984, pp. 145-158.

"The Status of Women, Marital Equality, and Violence Against Wives: A Contextual Analysis." Journal of Family Issues 5:307-320 (Sept.,1984).

"The Impact of Structural Inequality and Sexist Family Norms on Rates of Wife-Beating" (with M.A. Straus) Journal of International and Comparative Social Work. 1:16-29 (Fall, 1984).

"Sexual Equality and Violence Against Wives in American States." Journal of Comparative Family Studies 14:67-86. (Spring,1983).

"Using a Quantitative Approach in Feminist Research." in Finkelhor, Gelles et al. (eds) The Dark Side of Families: Current Issues in Family Violence Research. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, 1983, pp. 277-288.

"Rape in Marriage: Three Types," with (D. Finkelhor) in Finkelhor, Gelles, et al. (eds) The Dark Side of Families. Sage, 1983, pp. 119-131. Reprinted in Alan Lincoln (ed) Crime and the Family and Martha Straus (ed) Abuse and Victimization Across the Lifespan.

"Forced Sex in Marriage: A Preliminary Research Report." (with D. Finkelhor) Crime and Delinquency 28:459-478 (July, 1982).

"Interpersonal Violence among Married and Cohabiting Couples," Family Relations, 30:339-347, (July, 1981) with M.A. Straus. (Reprinted in 1983 Family Studies Review Yearbook, Sage Pub).

"Non-marital Cohabitation: Beyond the College Campus." Alternative Lifestyles 1:37-54 (February, 1978).

Student Projects

Sociology majors conduct independent research culminating in a senior thesis. Recent topics have included children and cyberporn, media exposure and body-image among adolescents, Cape Verdian identity in the U.S., socio-spatial segregation and the geography of wealth.