About Us
What is SWIRL?
Social Work Interdisciplinary Research Lab (SWIRL) at the Â鶹ÊÓƵ School of Social Work, is dedicated to addressing violence against women, adolescents, and children. Founded in 2019, SWIRL’s mission is to collaborate with key stakeholders in resource-constrained environments to increase awareness of violence against women and children and to develop interventions tailored to the unique challenges of these individuals in their communities. Resource constraints are more than just financial in nature. We interpret resource constraint to include lack of evidence-informed interventions to prevent violence against women, adolescents and children, and mitigate adverse outcomes of experiencing violence. In working with these communities, we engage in community capacity building and sustainable change guided by local leaders. Ultimately, mitigation of the sequelae of violence is accomplished through collaboration with communities that contribute to social capital, both within the United States and globally.
areas of focus
The work of the SWIRL leadership has long focused on the syndemic interaction of adverse social conditions with preventable infectious diseases, and contextual norms and behaviors that invalidate, disparage, and harm women, adolescents, and children based on their real or perceived roles and levels of power in their communities. Depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, trauma and social stigma are part of the adverse outcomes of violence against women and children that hinder their capacity to seek and obtain healthcare, reduce their capacity to protect themselves and constrain them to cycles of poverty, various forms of abuse, and poor quality of life.
If you are interested in joining our team or you wish to get in contact with our lab about collaboration or services, please contact Dr. Manisha Joshi.