Doctoral Student Lands NSF Fellowship

Veronica Gonzalez

As a newly named National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, Veronica Gonzalez is researching intimate partner violence in the Latinx community.

Gonzalez, who has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and social behavior and criminology from UCI, is pursuing her Ph.D. in criminology, law and society.

Her research focuses on intimate partner violence and mental illness stigma and implications to the criminal justice system within Latinx populations. 

“I am currently working on several research projects,” Gonzalez said, adding that she is exploring the help-seeking behavior of undocumented immigrant Latinx survivors of intimate partner violence during today’s current political climate. She also is working on a project comparing the lethal cases of domestic violence to non-fatal felony cases. And, she’s part of a research group exploring the perception of neighborhoods of Santa Ana residents and the impact that community organizations have on those perceptions. 

Gonzalez aims to complete her Ph.D. in 2023. “I am open to all career options but  would love to work at an academic research institution, where I can mentor the next generation and help foster a welcoming environment for students from all backgrounds,” Gonzalez said.

She said she became interested in helping undocumented victims of domestic violence because the need is great, especially today as threats of deportation have increased. 

“I volunteer with an organization that helps undocumented victims of domestic violence that saw numbers of clients decrease dramatically and I don’t think domestic violence went away right after the 2016 election,” Gonzalez said. “So, I want to learn more about how to do better outreach and inform the community that we in California have a sanctuary policy so that survivors know they won’t get reported to immigration officials if they seek services.”

She said she meets victims of domestic abuse who are afraid to report their partners for fear of being deported and she hopes to find ways to intervene. “Community partners, government agencies and law enforcement will be instrumental in raising awareness about our sanctuary state and what it means so that victims won’t be afraid to report their abusers.”

As part of her fellowship, Gonzalez is receiving, among other perks, $46,000 annually to complete her doctoral degree.

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