Experts to Explore Role of Media, Technology as Supportive Tools in Domestic Violence Situations in LSU Reilly Center Roundtable

October 8, 2021

BATON ROUGE–The Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs at LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication, in partnership with the LSU Women’s Center and the Lighthouse Program, will host Supporting Survivors: The Role of Media and Technology, a roundtable discussion focused on understanding the role media and technology play in domestic violence situations. The event will be held Wednesday, Oct. 13, at 1:30 p.m. CT in alignment with October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

According to a recently released report by lead investigator and LSU Assistant Professor Fanny Ramirez, Ph.D., rapidly changing pandemic conditions forced domestic and sexual violence support organizations that typically rely on in-person communications and community-based interventions to shift their outreach efforts and direct services to a mostly virtual format. In this roundtable discussion inspired by Ramirez’s research, policy experts, scholars and practitioners working to support victims and survivors of domestic violence will discuss the role of media and technology as tools in pandemic and non-pandemic times. Panelists will explore media coverage, the creation of awareness campaigns, legal protections and challenges, and technology as an ally or a foe. 

Ramirez will present her research ahead of the roundtable that will be moderated by LSU Manship School Ph.D. candidate Sarah Carpenter.

“I’m pleased to be joining the Reilly Center to present on the results of my research and join this panel to discuss how we can leverage media and technology when supporting and protecting survivors of domestic violence,” Ramirez said. “It’s important to understand the shifts that centers and organizations that provide these services underwent to ensure they were able to offer the same level of support throughout the pandemic. I also hope to find ways we can expand on the knowledge gained during that time to broaden opportunities to serve those experiencing domestic violence.” 

The roundtable conversation will follow Ramirez’s presentation. 

Panelists:

  • Fanny Ramirez, Ph.D., Presenter, Assistant Professor, LSU Manship School of Mass Communication
  • Sarah Carpenter, Moderator, Ph.D. Candidate, LSU Manship School of Mass Communication
  • Cory Alford, Staff Attorney, Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  • Wanjennia Atkins, Legal Assistant, Louisiana Department of Justice
  • Marcia Harris Burden, Esq., Board President, The Butterfly Society
  • Danielle Slakoff, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Criminal Justice, California State University, Sacramento

The event will be hosted on Zoom and broadcast on Facebook Live and is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. CT. Admission is free and open to the public, but guests must register on Eventbrite by 4:30 p.m. CT Tuesday, Oct. 12.

For more information, contact acharbonnet1@lsu.edu. 

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The Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs is partnership-driven, action-oriented and dedicated to exploring contemporary issues at the intersection of mass communication and public life. Its interdisciplinary approach draws together experts from diverse fields to advance research and dialogue. The intent is to inspire our communities to think deeply, take action, develop solutions and broaden knowledge. Underlying the Center’s endeavors is to strengthen and advance the Manship School’s national and state leadership in media and politics.

LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication ranks among the strongest collegiate communication programs in the country, with its robust emphasis on media and public affairs. It offers undergraduate degrees in public relations, journalism, political communication, digital advertising and pre-law, along with four graduate degree programs: master of mass communication, Ph.D. in media and public affairs, certificate of strategic communication, and dual MMC/law degree.

 

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