Past: Kent Library's Athenaeum Lecture Series: Dr. Monica Bixby Radu

Kent Library’s Athenaeum Lecture Series will present “Crowdfunding through GoFundMe.com: How Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence Frame their Requests for Financial Assistance and Why this Matters” at noon on Wednesday, April 24, in Kent Library. The presentation will be given by Dr. Monica Bixby Radu, Assistant Professor for the Department of Criminal Justice, Social Work and Sociology.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a national and global problem that disproportionately affects women and children. Studies suggest that lack of economic resources contributes to survivors of IPV both remaining in and returning to abusive relationships. Recently, requesting financial assistance online via crowdfunding has emerged as a new approach for accessing financial help. This presentation will explore how survivors of IPV frame their requests for financial assistance through the crowdfunding website, GoFundMe.com. Findings suggest that utilizing crowdfunding may be beneficial for survivors of IPV when a person’s family or friends are unable or unwilling to help. This presentation will also explore the disadvantages of requesting financial assistance via crowdfunding.