Too often, decisions with life and death consequences are made on the basis of assumptions rather than knowledge, and advocates are left without the tools or insight research can provide for challenging these assumptions.

Too often, research findings that might guide action don’t “trickle down” in ways that are useful at the grassroots level—nor are local providers, activists, and advocates always equipped to analyze and critique controversial findings.

Advocates are readily invited to spend time helping researchers but are rarely invited to help shape the research agenda or interpret its results.  Formal systems of support for researchers seldom reward work in this arena and rarely is the sharing of ideas and findings encouraged among researchers.

No common culture, institutional framework, or network of informal connections exists today to assist in bridging these gaps between the producers and potential users of domestic violence knowledge.  more...