Prof. Jacobson López Joins Taskforce Combating Gender-Based Violence
Prof. Daniel Jacobson López from BU School of Social Work, an expert in addressing sexual violence against marginalized groups such as LGBTQ+ people of color, was recently appointed to the Blue Ribbon Task Force at San Diego State University (SDSU) by University President Dr. Adela de la Torre. The taskforce was created to provide recommendations to reduce gender-based violence (GBV) on college campuses across the country.
An interdisciplinary group of twelve professionals, with expertise ranging from social work and medical science to athletics and media, will tackle the complex structural and institutional issues that contribute to GBV. “SDSU was careful to appoint members who understand the need for trauma-informed and approaches in efforts towards assisting survivors,” said Jacobson López. Members were also chosen for their inclusive approach to addressing GBV. “The team knows that GBV can affect anybody, but there are also survivors from marginalized groups who have unique needs, like those who are LGBTQ or military-affiliated,” he added. In addition to supporting survivors, the taskforce aims to provide proactive solutions to reduce GBV, such as prevention and bystander intervention.
The task force will review existing policies and recommend improvements to reduce gender-based violence in college environments. Next, they will establish more holistic policies to support survivors and improve transparency with collegiate communities around California. Lastly, they will create a database of best practices to prevent GBV on campuses nationwide. These steps will ideally encourage urgent social change in educational spaces to make campuses safer for all students.