07/21/2026
By Karen Mullins

The School of Criminology and Justice Studies is proud to announce a Dissertation Defense by Sabrina S. Rapisarda entitled, "Engaging Young People Where They Are: Conceptualizing the Help-Seeking of Young Survivors in the Aftermath of Intimate Partner Sexual Violence."

Date: Monday, August 3, 2026
Time: 11 a.m. -1 p.m.
Location: Room 431 HSSB and via Zoom

Committee:

  • Ryan T. Shields, Committee Chair, Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Andrew J. Harris, Professor, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • April F. Pattavina, Professor, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Kimberly R. Kras, Associate Professor, San Diego State University

Abstract: The social and public health phenomena of sexual violence (SV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) exist in extensive and rich, but siloed bodies of literature. Minimal research to date has examined where SV and IPV intersect, known as intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV), defined in this study as sexual violence occurring within the context of intimate partner relationships. Even less is known about IPSV among young survivors or how differences in social and economic characteristics may influence these experiences, despite that young people are arguably most at risk and less inclined to seek formal help following their victimization experiences than other age groups. 

To the researcher's knowledge, no published research to date has built a framework conceptualizing the informal or formal help-seeking trajectories of young IPSV survivors. To address this gap, adopting a Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) approach using primary, semi-structured interview data from a sample of formal providers who directly serve young IPSV survivors, the current study aimed to answer the following overarching research question: “How do young people who have experienced IPSV conceptualize and engage in help-seeking?” 

To this end, elements of the Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methodology were incorporated including collaboration between community members and the researcher across various stages of this study, namely recruitment, data validation procedures, and the development of the conceptual framework. In responding to this question, the Relational Agency Framework to Conceptualize the Trajectories (RAFT) of Help-Seeking for Young IPSV Survivors, was developed, which describes, conceptualizes, and explains young survivors’ help-seeking trajectories. This study’s findings and framework have the potential to shape community, institutional, and interpersonal responses to young survivors of IPSV. Recommendations for future research, practice, and policy are indicated within.