Transforming Trauma: Resilience through Research and Innovation
Violence Intervention, Support, Technology, and Action
Our mission is to build a world where violence is a thing of the past. We aim to design, implement, and evaluate innovative community and societal interventions that prevent violence and its resulting mental health issues. We strive to empower the next generation with resilience, providing them with a safe environment to grow and thrive.
Current Projects
Data-Driven Interventions to Tackle Child Maltreatment
Using machine learning and natural language processing, the project analyzes some of the vast amounts of maltreatment-related data collected from digital platforms. This analysis is uncovering the specific language young victims use, formulating communication approaches that resonate with them. The project will evaluate the feasibility of using technology to reach out to maltreated youth, pilot technology-facilitated interventions, and compare their relative strengths and limitations. Ultimately, these interventions aim to support victims and help them develop resilience while avoiding harmful consequences.
Advancing Child Abuse Intervention and Support: The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
Childhelp seeks to provide comprehensive support systems for individuals and families who have experienced trauma, violence, and poverty, often leading to child maltreatment. Central to these efforts is the National Child Abuse Hotline, which has been offering crucial information, trauma-informed support, and connection to local resources since 1982. Since 2018, the hotline has broadened its scope, providing text and chat support directly to the youth. Key components of this project include bolstering the resilience of frontline crisis counselors and improving their interactions with help-seekers. In partnership with VISTA, Childhelp now aims to expand its focus to provide holistic, community-based support to families, aiding in their recovery from safety concerns, while also ensuring access for underserved communities.
Combatting Health Misinformation and Community Violence: A Data-Driven Approach
Led by Drs. Kumar and De Choudhury, this research is a comprehensive examination of online health misinformation, focusing on its role in instigating community violence. The researchers aim to develop novel detection algorithms, using advanced machine learning techniques, to identify misinformation and hate speech targeting minority communities. An interactive dashboard will be developed to visualize the spread of this misinformation. VISTA is responsible for exploring misinformation’s causal impact on violent attitudes and actions, then developing innovative mitigation and intervention strategies to reduce such misinformation.
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