Heather L Storer
Biographic Data
| ID | 4099971 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Heather L Storer |
| GIVEN NAMES | Heather L |
| FAMILY NAME | Storer |
| SIGNATURE | STORER H L |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Louisville |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8187-0643 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 30 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 87 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 30 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Group processes and outcomes in programs that address domestic or sexual violence
Social movements have sought to harness collective action to respond to domestic and sexual violence (DSV) and address the oppressive structures and systems in and through which violence occurs. Although group-based mutual support has long been treated as a critical component of activism and programming to address DSV, more needs to be understood about the processes and outcomes that are meaningful to group members and facilitators. This qualitat…
Youth Voice is Heard Here
Revamping Advocacy for the Digital Age
Reimagining Social Work’s Digital Future
The social work field is a relative latecomer to the digital revolution. To advance the Social Work Grand Challenge “Harnessing Technology for Social Good,” the social work field needs a transformative reorientation—towards seeing itself not only as critical adopters of technology but as necessary contributors in interdisciplinary tech partnerships. The purpose of this article is to describe the collective contributions the social work and tech f…
Safety Is Elusive
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated incidences of domestic violence (DV). The framing of DV within media sources contributes to the public's understanding of DV. Using critical discourse analysis (CDA), this paper explores representations of safety within newspapers' reporting of DV during the pandemic. The sample included newspaper articles ( n = 31) from U.S. newspapers. The analysis involved multiple rounds of coding and employing "structured qu…
Discursive decisions
Critical discourse analysis (CDA) examines the relationship between language and power in society. By linking micro, mezzo, and macro environments, examining the impact of language on marginalized communities, and providing a lens for critical reflection, CDA aligns with the frameworks and values of social work as a profession. Yet this method has been underutilized in social work research. This paper provides an orientation for social work schol…
That Was the Happiest Time of My Life”
The goal of this study was to explore facets of childhood eco-connections, using retrospective qualitative data from adults. One hundred and forty-five adults from predominantly rural and small-town communities in southern Appalachia (71.7% female), average age 36.23 years (SD = 12.08) participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews on key life experiences and the places they grew up. Mentions about place-related childhood memories or inte…
Addressing Anti-Black Racism through the Social Work Curriculum
Racism is a pervasive system that permeates all social activity within U.S. society and for over four hundred years has constantly reproduced systems of inequality and disparate outcomes for Black people. Increasingly, attention has been given to integrating anti-racist content and methods into social work education and practice. By integrating concepts from racial equity and liberatory education theories, and providing a case example of one univ…
The Rapid Uptake of Digital Technologies at Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Organizations During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Emerging evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault (DV/SA). This research note explores DV/SA service providers' ( n = 20) perceptions of how their organizations responded to the pandemic. Results of a thematic content analysis indicated that survivors were adversely affected by sheltering with abusive partners and by external environmental conditions. Organizations …
Technology “Feels Less Threatening”
Discursive Constructions During Covid-19
At the Society for Social Work and Research 2021 Annual Conference, the authors of this commentary presented at or attended a roundtable discussion to critically examine discourses around age, race, and gender that had emerged or been impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspired by the richness of their discussion and diverse areas of interest, they coauthored this commentary to argue for the utility and relevance of critical discourse analysi…
Organizing in the digital age
The articles in this special issue illustrate how digital technologies, including social media, have impacted the ways individuals, groups, and communities come together to advocate and effect soci
When it’s safer to walk away
Community outreach, fundraising, and social transformation
Social media platforms are essential tools for contributing to feminist social movement building. There has been limited research theorizing how domestic and sexual violence (DV/SA) organizations use social media in their work with youth. Using thematic content analysis, this study interviews DV/SA (n = 35) staff to explore the role of social media in organizational settings. Results indicate that social media is used to advance organizational fu…
You Soak It up Like a Sponge”
Background: African American (AA) teens endure disproportionately high rates of adolescent dating abuse (ADA). There is a limited understanding of the community–specific pathways that contribute to AA youth's higher risk. The purpose of this study is to investigate AA youths’ perspectives on the antecedents of ADA. Methods: Data were collected from interviews ( n = 38) with AA teens. Thematic content analysis was employed to identify primary them…
The Enactment of a “Postfeminist Sensibility”
At a societal level, postfeminist and neoliberal companion discourses have minimized structural determinants of dating abuse while elevating individual characteristics such as personal responsibility and agency. Adolescent survivors of dating abuse most frequently seek help from their peers; thus, the substance of that support is critical to reduce stigma and support survivor’s well-being. Using critical discourse analysis methodology, this artic…
The Role of Gender in Adolescent Dating Abuse
The role of gender has received considerable attention in the academic literature on intimate partner violence (IPV). The Grand Challenges for Social Work take a gender-neutral approach, without regard to the influence of gender on adolescent development and dating relationships. This positioning is inconsistent with gender mainstreaming approaches that have been integrated into international framings of IPV. The purpose of this article is to con…
Mapping a movement
Online feminist-based hashtag(#) campaigns, such as #WhyIStayed and #MaybeHeDoesntHitYou, have coalesced into the current #MeToo movement: a global movement to end gender-based violence, on and offline. This study examines issue framing domains within the #WhyIStayed campaign, illustrating how social media campaigns serve as a central component in social movement building. Results indicate #WhyIStayed participants contested dominant representatio…
Breaking the mold
Mapping a continuum of adolescent helping and bystander behavior within the context of dating violence and bullying
Although research has identified factors that support and hinder proactive bystander behaviors among adolescents, less is known about the more specific bystander responses viewed by youth as feasible, or whether these responses are likely to be ultimately helpful in the context of bullying and teen dating violence (TDV). Goals of this exploratory study were to describe specific bystander behaviors that adolescents perceive as possible for address…
A Year of Bad Choices
Teen dating violence (TDV) is a significant social justice issue. The prevention of TDV requires interventions across ecological systems levels including the macro-level. The media has been implicated as influencing societal-level narratives about TDV. Using critical discourse analysis methodology, the purpose of this study is to unpack the dominant cultural narratives about TDV in young adult (YA) literature, a media genre that is marketed to ad…
Developing “whole school” bystander interventions
What Motivates Men's Involvement in Gender-based Violence Prevention? Latent Class Profiles and Correlates in an International Sample of Men
Data from an international sample of 392 men who had attended gender-based violence (GBV) prevention events were used to examine motivations for involvement in GBV prevention work. Participants responded to an online survey (available in English, French, and Spanish). The most commonly reported reasons for involvement included concern for related social justice issues (87 percent), exposure to the issue of violence through work (70 percent), hear…
Efficacy of Bystander Programs to Prevent Dating Abuse Among Youth and Young Adults
Estimates suggest that between 10% and 25% of adolescents have experienced some form of physical violence within a dating relationship, and one in four college-age women experiences attempted or completed sexual violence on campus. Bystander programs focus on equipping young adults with the skills to safely intervene when they witness behaviors that can result in dating abuse. This approach is promoted for its capacity both to transform community…
A Primer for Preventing Teen Dating Violence? The Representation of Teen Dating Violence in Young Adult Literature and Its Implications for Prevention
Teen dating violence (TDV) is a significant public health issue. Preventing TDV requires attention to risk and protective factors across ecological system levels. The media is one of the primary cultural drivers of societal-level social scripts about the causes of TDV. Framing theory asserts that the media's portrayal of social issues, including what contextual information is included and/or excluded, affects individual-level attitudes about TDV …
Mapping a movement
Online feminist-based hashtag(#) campaigns, such as #WhyIStayed and #MaybeHeDoesntHitYou, have coalesced into the current #MeToo movement: a global movement to end gender-based violence, on and offline. This study examines issue framing domains within the #WhyIStayed campaign, illustrating how social media campaigns serve as a central component in social movement building. Results indicate #WhyIStayed participants contested dominant representatio…
In search of connection
Primary Prevention Is? A Global Perspective on How Organizations Engaging Men in Preventing Gender-Based Violence Conceptualize and Operationalize Their Work
Engaging men in addressing violence against women (VAW) has become a strategy in the global prevention of gender-based violence. Concurrently, Western public health frameworks have been utilized to guide prevention agendas worldwide. Using qualitative methods, this study describes how global anti-violence organizations that partner with men conceptualize primary prevention in their work. Findings suggest that "primary prevention" is not a fixed t…
Promoting relationship building and connection
Community outreach, fundraising, and social transformation
Social media platforms are essential tools for contributing to feminist social movement building. There has been limited research theorizing how domestic and sexual violence (DV/SA) organizations use social media in their work with youth. Using thematic content analysis, this study interviews DV/SA (n = 35) staff to explore the role of social media in organizational settings. Results indicate that social media is used to advance organizational fu…
Developing “whole school” bystander interventions
Technology “Feels Less Threatening”
The Role of Gender in Adolescent Dating Abuse
The role of gender has received considerable attention in the academic literature on intimate partner violence (IPV). The Grand Challenges for Social Work take a gender-neutral approach, without regard to the influence of gender on adolescent development and dating relationships. This positioning is inconsistent with gender mainstreaming approaches that have been integrated into international framings of IPV. The purpose of this article is to con…
Addressing Anti-Black Racism through the Social Work Curriculum
Racism is a pervasive system that permeates all social activity within U.S. society and for over four hundred years has constantly reproduced systems of inequality and disparate outcomes for Black people. Increasingly, attention has been given to integrating anti-racist content and methods into social work education and practice. By integrating concepts from racial equity and liberatory education theories, and providing a case example of one univ…
A Year of Bad Choices
Teen dating violence (TDV) is a significant social justice issue. The prevention of TDV requires interventions across ecological systems levels including the macro-level. The media has been implicated as influencing societal-level narratives about TDV. Using critical discourse analysis methodology, the purpose of this study is to unpack the dominant cultural narratives about TDV in young adult (YA) literature, a media genre that is marketed to ad…
Moving Beyond Dichotomies
Over thirty years ago, William Julius Wilson declared that class trumped race as the more significant determinant of social mobility and economic opportunity. Despite the acclaim and scrutiny for Wilson's work, the United States has grown increasingly divided by intersecting factors of race, class and other demographic factors such as place (Massey, 2007). These divisions are especially evident in the public education system. We analyze how race,…
Youth Voice is Heard Here
Organizing in the digital age
The articles in this special issue illustrate how digital technologies, including social media, have impacted the ways individuals, groups, and communities come together to advocate and effect soci
The Enactment of a “Postfeminist Sensibility”
At a societal level, postfeminist and neoliberal companion discourses have minimized structural determinants of dating abuse while elevating individual characteristics such as personal responsibility and agency. Adolescent survivors of dating abuse most frequently seek help from their peers; thus, the substance of that support is critical to reduce stigma and support survivor’s well-being. Using critical discourse analysis methodology, this artic…
Revamping Advocacy for the Digital Age
What Motivates Men's Involvement in Gender-based Violence Prevention? Latent Class Profiles and Correlates in an International Sample of Men
Data from an international sample of 392 men who had attended gender-based violence (GBV) prevention events were used to examine motivations for involvement in GBV prevention work. Participants responded to an online survey (available in English, French, and Spanish). The most commonly reported reasons for involvement included concern for related social justice issues (87 percent), exposure to the issue of violence through work (70 percent), hear…
Contextualizing Change Points in Alcohol Use from Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Alcohol is the most widely used and abused substance among America's youths. Understanding patterns of alcohol use over the course of adolescent development, including risk and protective factors related to variation in use, is a central goal of adolescent alcohol research. Authors of this article created a personalized graphic representation of individual drinking, as reported in seven waves of questionnaire data from an ongoing longitudinal stu…
Moving Beyond Dichotomies
Over thirty years ago, William Julius Wilson declared that class trumped race as the more significant determinant of social mobility and economic opportunity. Despite the acclaim and scrutiny for Wilson's work, the United States has grown increasingly divided by intersecting factors of race, class and other demographic factors such as place (Massey, 2007). These divisions are especially evident in the public education system. We analyze how race,…
Promoting relationship building and connection
In search of connection
Contextualizing Change Points in Alcohol Use from Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
Alcohol is the most widely used and abused substance among America's youths. Understanding patterns of alcohol use over the course of adolescent development, including risk and protective factors related to variation in use, is a central goal of adolescent alcohol research. Authors of this article created a personalized graphic representation of individual drinking, as reported in seven waves of questionnaire data from an ongoing longitudinal stu…
Primary Prevention Is? A Global Perspective on How Organizations Engaging Men in Preventing Gender-Based Violence Conceptualize and Operationalize Their Work
Engaging men in addressing violence against women (VAW) has become a strategy in the global prevention of gender-based violence. Concurrently, Western public health frameworks have been utilized to guide prevention agendas worldwide. Using qualitative methods, this study describes how global anti-violence organizations that partner with men conceptualize primary prevention in their work. Findings suggest that "primary prevention" is not a fixed t…
Efficacy of Bystander Programs to Prevent Dating Abuse Among Youth and Young Adults
Estimates suggest that between 10% and 25% of adolescents have experienced some form of physical violence within a dating relationship, and one in four college-age women experiences attempted or completed sexual violence on campus. Bystander programs focus on equipping young adults with the skills to safely intervene when they witness behaviors that can result in dating abuse. This approach is promoted for its capacity both to transform community…
A Primer for Preventing Teen Dating Violence? The Representation of Teen Dating Violence in Young Adult Literature and Its Implications for Prevention
Teen dating violence (TDV) is a significant public health issue. Preventing TDV requires attention to risk and protective factors across ecological system levels. The media is one of the primary cultural drivers of societal-level social scripts about the causes of TDV. Framing theory asserts that the media's portrayal of social issues, including what contextual information is included and/or excluded, affects individual-level attitudes about TDV …
A Year of Bad Choices
Teen dating violence (TDV) is a significant social justice issue. The prevention of TDV requires interventions across ecological systems levels including the macro-level. The media has been implicated as influencing societal-level narratives about TDV. Using critical discourse analysis methodology, the purpose of this study is to unpack the dominant cultural narratives about TDV in young adult (YA) literature, a media genre that is marketed to ad…
Developing “whole school” bystander interventions
What Motivates Men's Involvement in Gender-based Violence Prevention? Latent Class Profiles and Correlates in an International Sample of Men
Data from an international sample of 392 men who had attended gender-based violence (GBV) prevention events were used to examine motivations for involvement in GBV prevention work. Participants responded to an online survey (available in English, French, and Spanish). The most commonly reported reasons for involvement included concern for related social justice issues (87 percent), exposure to the issue of violence through work (70 percent), hear…
Breaking the mold
Mapping a continuum of adolescent helping and bystander behavior within the context of dating violence and bullying
Although research has identified factors that support and hinder proactive bystander behaviors among adolescents, less is known about the more specific bystander responses viewed by youth as feasible, or whether these responses are likely to be ultimately helpful in the context of bullying and teen dating violence (TDV). Goals of this exploratory study were to describe specific bystander behaviors that adolescents perceive as possible for address…
You Soak It up Like a Sponge”
Background: African American (AA) teens endure disproportionately high rates of adolescent dating abuse (ADA). There is a limited understanding of the community–specific pathways that contribute to AA youth's higher risk. The purpose of this study is to investigate AA youths’ perspectives on the antecedents of ADA. Methods: Data were collected from interviews ( n = 38) with AA teens. Thematic content analysis was employed to identify primary them…
The Enactment of a “Postfeminist Sensibility”
At a societal level, postfeminist and neoliberal companion discourses have minimized structural determinants of dating abuse while elevating individual characteristics such as personal responsibility and agency. Adolescent survivors of dating abuse most frequently seek help from their peers; thus, the substance of that support is critical to reduce stigma and support survivor’s well-being. Using critical discourse analysis methodology, this artic…
The Role of Gender in Adolescent Dating Abuse
The role of gender has received considerable attention in the academic literature on intimate partner violence (IPV). The Grand Challenges for Social Work take a gender-neutral approach, without regard to the influence of gender on adolescent development and dating relationships. This positioning is inconsistent with gender mainstreaming approaches that have been integrated into international framings of IPV. The purpose of this article is to con…
Mapping a movement
Online feminist-based hashtag(#) campaigns, such as #WhyIStayed and #MaybeHeDoesntHitYou, have coalesced into the current #MeToo movement: a global movement to end gender-based violence, on and offline. This study examines issue framing domains within the #WhyIStayed campaign, illustrating how social media campaigns serve as a central component in social movement building. Results indicate #WhyIStayed participants contested dominant representatio…
Discursive Constructions During Covid-19
At the Society for Social Work and Research 2021 Annual Conference, the authors of this commentary presented at or attended a roundtable discussion to critically examine discourses around age, race, and gender that had emerged or been impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspired by the richness of their discussion and diverse areas of interest, they coauthored this commentary to argue for the utility and relevance of critical discourse analysi…
Organizing in the digital age
The articles in this special issue illustrate how digital technologies, including social media, have impacted the ways individuals, groups, and communities come together to advocate and effect soci
When it’s safer to walk away
Community outreach, fundraising, and social transformation
Social media platforms are essential tools for contributing to feminist social movement building. There has been limited research theorizing how domestic and sexual violence (DV/SA) organizations use social media in their work with youth. Using thematic content analysis, this study interviews DV/SA (n = 35) staff to explore the role of social media in organizational settings. Results indicate that social media is used to advance organizational fu…
Discursive decisions
Critical discourse analysis (CDA) examines the relationship between language and power in society. By linking micro, mezzo, and macro environments, examining the impact of language on marginalized communities, and providing a lens for critical reflection, CDA aligns with the frameworks and values of social work as a profession. Yet this method has been underutilized in social work research. This paper provides an orientation for social work schol…
That Was the Happiest Time of My Life”
The goal of this study was to explore facets of childhood eco-connections, using retrospective qualitative data from adults. One hundred and forty-five adults from predominantly rural and small-town communities in southern Appalachia (71.7% female), average age 36.23 years (SD = 12.08) participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews on key life experiences and the places they grew up. Mentions about place-related childhood memories or inte…
Addressing Anti-Black Racism through the Social Work Curriculum
Racism is a pervasive system that permeates all social activity within U.S. society and for over four hundred years has constantly reproduced systems of inequality and disparate outcomes for Black people. Increasingly, attention has been given to integrating anti-racist content and methods into social work education and practice. By integrating concepts from racial equity and liberatory education theories, and providing a case example of one univ…
The Rapid Uptake of Digital Technologies at Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Organizations During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Emerging evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault (DV/SA). This research note explores DV/SA service providers' ( n = 20) perceptions of how their organizations responded to the pandemic. Results of a thematic content analysis indicated that survivors were adversely affected by sheltering with abusive partners and by external environmental conditions. Organizations …
Technology “Feels Less Threatening”
Sociology (24 works) · Psychology (23 works) · Medicine (20 works) · Intimate Partner and Family Violence (16 works) · Political science (16 works) · Poison control (15 works) · Social Psychology (15 works) · Suicide prevention (14 works) · Developmental psychology (11 works) · Qualitative research (11 works)