Dr. Carolyn West is a
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International Speaker
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Filmmaker
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Author
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Domestic Violence Expert
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Culture Sensitivity Trainer
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Expert Witness
While also being apart of the inaugural Resident Fellow of the Office of Community Partnerships.
In this role, Dr. West will engage publicly as a faculty member at UW Tacoma and as a Resident Fellow through public scholarship and student engagement.
Learn more about her life's work here.

Public Scholarship
15. Rice, J., West, C. M., Cottman. K., & Gardner, G. (2022). Intersectionality and intimate partner violence in the Black community. In R. Geffner, J. W. White, L. K. Hamberger, A. Rosenbaum, V. Vaughan-Eden, & V. I. Vieth (Eds.), Handbook of interpersonal violence and abuse across the lifespan: A project of the National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence Across the Lifespan (NPEIV) (pp. 2705-2733). New York: Springer Nature.
14. Williams, O. J. & West, C. M. (2021). Introduction to Special Double Issue: Domestic Violence in Black Communities. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma, 30(6), 707-713.
13. West, C. M. (2021). Widening the lens: Expanding the research on intimate partner violence in Black communities. Special Issue of Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma, 30(6), 749-760.
12. Guadalupe-Diaz, X. L. & West, C. M. (2020). The intersections of race and immigration. In A. Messinger & X. L. Guadalupe-Diaz (Eds.), Transgender Intimate Partner Violence: A Comprehensive Introduction (pp. 133-166). New York: New York University Press.
11. West, C. M. (2019). Toward and ecological model of violence among African Americans. In W. S. DeKeseredy, C. Rennison, & A. Sanchez (Eds.), The Routledge International Handbook of Violence Studies (pp. 190-209). New York: Routledge.
10. West, C. M. (2018). Crucial considerations in the understanding and treatment of intimate partner violence in African American couples. In R. A. Javier & W. Herron (Eds.), Understanding Domestic Violence: Theories, Challenges, Remedies (pp. 213-235). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
9. West, C. M. (2018). Mammy, Sapphire, Jezebel, and the Bad Girls of reality television: Media representations of Black women. In J. Chrisler and C. Golden (Eds.), Lectures on the psychology of women (5th ed.) (pp. 139-158). Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
8. Nnawulezi, N., & West, C. M. (2018). Institutional strategies to promote the health of Black women survivors of intimate partner violence. Meridians: Feminism, race, transnationalism. 16(2), 276-285.
7. West, C. M. (2018). Treatment interventions for intimate partner violence in the lives of African American women: A social justice approach. In S. Gelberg, M. Poteet, D. D. Moore, & D. Coyhis (Eds).Radical Psychology: Multicultural and Social Justice Decolonization Initiatives (pp. 89-110). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
6. West, C. M. (2016). African Immigrant Women and Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, 25(1), 4-17.
5. West, C. M. (2016). Living in a web of trauma: An ecological examination of violence among African Americans. In C. C. Cuevas & C. M. Rennison (Eds.), The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook on the Psychology of Violence (pp. 649-665). Oxford, UK: John Wiley & Sons.
4. West, C. M. (2016). Hidden in Plain Sight: Structural Inequalities and (In)visible Violence in the Lives of African American Women (pp. 85-102). In L. Wilton & E. Short (Eds.), Talking about Structural Inequalities in Everyday Life: New Politics of Race in Groups, Organizations, and Social Systems. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
3. West, C. M. & Johnson, K. (2013, March). Sexual violence in the lives of African American women. Harrisburg, PA: VAWnet, a project of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence/Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. http://www.vawnet.org/Assoc_Files_VAWnet/AR_SVAAWomenRevised.pdf
2. West, C. M., (2010). Resistance as recovery: Winning a sexual harassment complaint. In A. White (Ed.), African Americans doing feminism: Putting theory into everyday practice (pp. 175-188). New York: State University of New York Press.
1. West, C. M. (2009). Still on the auction block: The (s)exploitation of Black adolescent girls in rap(e) music and hip hop culture. In S. Olfman (Ed.), The sexualization of childhood (pp. 89-102). Westport, CT: Praeger Press.
5. West, C. & Powell, S. (2021). Confronting racism in the pornography industry. Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/confronting-racism-pornography-industry-opinion-1601228
4. Dines, G. & West, C. M. (2020, July 9). Pornhubs #Black Lives Matter genre and the industry’s brash racism. Slate.com https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/07/pornhub-black-lives-matter-genre-racism.html
3. West, C. M. (2020, June) “Who’s Your Daddy?” Exploring the Images of Black Men in Pornography. Fight The New Drug. https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-mainstream-porn-perpetuates-racist-stereotypes-of-black-men/
2. West, C. M. (2020, April). Sexual assault awareness month: Why racist pornography is a form of sexual violence. Fight The New Drug. https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-mainstream-porn-normalizes-violence-against-black-women/
1. West, C. M. (2020, March). Racism in Pornography: Why I care and you should too. Fight The New Drug. https://fightthenewdrug.org/why-does-the-porn-industry-get-away-with-racist-portrayals-of-black-peopl
Presentations
4. West, C. M. (2021, November). Let me tell ya’ll ‘bout Black chicks: Understanding adultification and sexual violence in the lives of Black girls. Virtual Keynote for the Justice for Girls Coalition of Washington State.
3. West, C. M., O'Neal, D., & Scaia, M. (2021, April). Engaging with women who use force. Webinar for Center for Court Innovation. https://www.courtinnovation.org/publications/Webinar-Women-Who-Use-Force
2. West, C. M. (2020, October). Widening the lens: Intimate partner violence and Black women. Webinar at YWCA Week Without Violence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv6JNqx3FuE
1. West, C. M. (2020, May). Escape the Cape. Keynote Webinar for the Women Faculty Leadership Institute 2020. Florida International University. https://mediaweb.fiu.edu/Mediasite/Play/2325901080464465a7424162d0cf84b21d
4. West, C. M. (2020, December). From Black Lives Matter to Black Wives Matter: Exploring how pornography has sexualized social justice movements. University of Washington Tacoma Grit City Think and Drink. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqZLU4dKjIQ
3. West, C. M. (2020, November). Escape the cape: Changing perspectives on partner violence and media images. 2020: The Course. University of Washington. https://www.washington.edu/uaa/academic-resources/2020-the-course/carolyn-west/
2. West, C. M. & Kuljam, T. (2019, April). Fail Forward: Student Employee Appreciation Luncheon. Keynote at University of Washington. Tacoma, WA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FDxg_rYKFU
1. West, C. M. (2016, November). Writing the books that you want to read. University of Washington’s Distinguished Research Award Address. Tacoma, WA.
INTERVIEW/PODCASTS
2. Wilson-Edge, Eric (2021, May). Without a safety net. University of Washington Tacoma: News & Information. https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/news/without-safety-net
1. Morgan, Rachel (2021, March). Revolutionary BIPoC women of the UW: Dr. Carolyn West. The Daily of University of Washington. https://www.dailyuw.com/opinion/article_68015018-821e-11eb-ab16-47eed057f7c7.html
5. "I Didn’t Know What a Healthy Relationship Was" Red Table Talk (November, 2022) https://www.facebook.com/538649879867825/videos/543220134308981/?__so__=permalin
4. Porn and Prejudice: Is racism in pornography fueled by the shame and silence of its audience? (February, 2022). https://slate.com/podcasts/a-word/2022/02/does-porn-exploit-or-empower-black-performers
3. Race and Porn. Culture Reframed Facebook Live interview with Gail Dines. (2020, June). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeetLdUiq_k
2. Violence in the Lives of Black Women. Black and Highly Dangerous Podcast hosted by Tyrell Conner & Daphne Michelle. https://www.blackandhighlydangerous.com/single-post/2018/12/05/Episode-47-Violence-in-the-Lives-of-Black-Women-w-Dr-Carolyn-West (December, 2019)
1. Sexual violence in the lives of African American women. Sister Survivors Podcast hosted by Katherine Barner. https://katherinebarner.org/ep-sexual-violence-in-the-lives-of-african-american-women/ (October, 2019)
NEWS/INTEREST
4. Megan Thee Stallion opens up in "Why I speak up for Black Women" op-ed about domestic violence. CBS Los Angeles (2020, October). https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/10/13/rapper-tony-lanez-court-hearing-tuesday-in-shooting-of-megan-thee-stallion/
3. Newton, Kamilah (2020, October 26). Why Black women may miss red flags of abusive relationships: “You start to believe you don’t have any value.” Yahoo News https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/why-black-women-may-miss-red-flags-of-abusive-relationships-you-start-to-believe-you-dont-have-any-value-170246324.html
2. Deaderick, Lisa (2020, August 30). Shooting of Megan Thee Stallion show how Black women see lack of sympathy as victims of violence. The San Diego Union-Tribune. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/columnists/story/2020-08-30/shooti…
1. Ross, Janell (2019, February 28). R. Kelly’s arrest barely scratches surface of a much-needed #MeToo reckoning for black girls. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/r-kelly-s-arrest-barely-scratches-surface-much-needed-metoo-n977816
MEDIA
West, C.M. (2018). (Director and Producer). Let me tell ya’ll ‘bout Black chicks: Images of Black women in pornography.