Dr. Judith Zatkin, assistant professor of psychology, provided expert insight for a front-page Boston Globe feature published in December 2024. Drawing on years of experience in sexual violence prevention — work she began as an undergraduate at the University of Michigan — Zatkin shared her research on how grooming patterns unfold within youth-serving organizations.

Zatkin earned her doctorate in community psychology, focusing on the organizational and cultural factors that either permit or prevent sexual abuse. In her research and her journal article, “Powerful Perpetrators: Hidden in Plain Sight,” she has examined the commonalities in high-profile abuse cases, including those involving Larry Nassar and Jerry Sandusky.

“We spend a lot of time in places like schools, summer camps and hospitals,” she said. “Policy, culture and community practices play a central role in creating safe environments. Having transparent reporting procedures and clear consequences can deter harm.”

Central to her work is the recognition that power dynamics matter. Zatkin is concerned when powerful individuals — large donors or high-ranking staff — are allowed to sidestep rules.

“That double standard creates a culture where accountability slips,” she said.

Her ideal vision includes consistent training on how to spot and report abuse, combined with a reminder that “it’s adults, not minors, who are responsible for preventing sexual violence.”

In the classroom, Zatkin incorporates her findings directly into courses such as Human Sexuality, The Psychology of Women and Gender and Sexual Violence Prevention, where “students learn the real-world implications of organizational policy and culture,” she said.

Her specialized Sexual Violence Prevention course, next offered in Spring 2026, immerses students in examining strategies that could make youth-serving organizations safer.

“My students conduct their own research projects, assessing climate and prevention measures in their chosen contexts,” she said.

Looking ahead, Zatkin plans to develop trainings and best practices with local organizations. She is also pursuing a grant to understand how sexual misconduct affects non-traditional and online students — populations often left out of mainstream campus initiatives.

“I want to help smaller regional institutions build their capacity to support all students,” she said.

Through her research, teaching and recent media spotlight in the Boston Globe, Zatkin continues to push for policies that make harm prevention a collective responsibility.