Eden Hoffer

Eden Hoffer, BA, MA, is a PhD Candidate in Health Information Science at Western University.

Her research interests include the intersections of intimate partner violence and social service systems, including healthcare, child welfare, and legal systems. She focuses on how institutional responses impact intimate partner violence survivors’ experiences, and advocates for survivor-centred, trauma- and violence-informed policy reform and development. Her recently published Conversation article explores the ethical implications of using AI to predict intimate partner violence. 

Check out her completed projects and publications here: https://linktr.ee/edenhoffer, or connect with her at ehoffer3@uwo.ca  

Tell us a little about your current research. What questions or problems are you interested in?

My research explores how mothers who have experienced intimate partner violence navigate social service systems including healthcare, child welfare, and criminal legal systems. I am interested in better understanding the barriers and supports mothers who have experienced intimate partner violence encounter when seeking help through social service systems, and how these systems can respond more effectively to their needs. Through this work, I aim to identify opportunities for survivor-centred, trauma- and violence-informed policy and practice reform, development, and implementation. The objective of my research is to help ensure that research findings are translated into practical output that can improve services, inform cross-sector collaboration, and better support mothers who are experiencing intimate partner violence. 

How does your research connect to issues or challenges outside of academia?

Intimate partner violence is a significant public health and social issue that impacts not only individual women and families, but also the broader systems that support them. Specifically, mothers who are seeking help after experiencing intimate partner violence - or come into contact with these social services in other ways - often interact with multiple social service systems that may have different expectations, priorities, and approaches. These differences can result in fragmented or fractured care, making it more difficult for women to access the support they need and increasing the risk of negative outcomes for both mothers and children. My research highlights how these experiences can create barriers to support, including fear of judgment, blame, child welfare involvement, and even child apprehension. By identifying where social service systems work well and where they fall short for mothers who have experienced intimate partner violence, the findings from this research aim to help improve services, policies, and collaboration across social service sectors, making it highly relevant outside of academia. Ultimately, this research seeks to support organizations, service providers, and policymakers in creating safer, more equitable, and more effective responses to mothers experiencing intimate partner violence, with the goal of improving outcomes for women, children, and families. 

Why are you interested in exploring a research partnership with a not-for-profit, public-sector organization, or industry partner?

I am interested in research partnerships because they help ensure research is grounded in the real-world needs of individuals and communities and can be translated into meaningful action, such as policies and practices. Through my dissertation research - particularly interviews with service providers who support mothers experiencing intimate partner violence - I have gained a deeper appreciation for the practical knowledge that organizations and service providers hold about community needs, service gaps, and the realities of delivering support to those who interact with service systems. Through a research partnership, I would like to learn more about how organizations use evidence to inform decision-making, program development, and policy implementation. I also hope to strengthen my skills in collaborative research and knowledge mobilization - an area I am deeply passionate about and currently support through my work as a research assistant. Most importantly, I want to contribute research that is relevant, useful, and capable of supporting positive policy and practice change for the individuals and communities that organizations and social service systems at large serve. 

What skills or research expertise could you bring to a collaborative research project?

I bring both individual-centred and systems-level perspectives to research, allowing me to examine how personal experiences are shaped by broader institutional and structural contexts. I have experience in qualitative research, including conducting interviews, analyzing complex and sensitive data, and translating findings into clear, actionable recommendations. My research focuses on intimate partner violence, social service systems, and policy, giving me experience working with sensitive topics and engaging with diverse stakeholders. I also bring an interdisciplinary perspective. My academic background in criminology, social justice, and psychology - combined with my current doctoral training in health sciences - enables me to approach complex social issues from multiple angles and bridge perspectives across sectors and disciplines. In addition, I have experience in knowledge mobilization and community-engaged research and am committed to producing research that is rigorous, accessible, and useful to organizations seeking to improve services and outcomes for the communities and individuals they support. 

What is one question or challenge you would be excited to explore with a community or organizational partner? 

One question I would be excited to explore with a community or organizational partner - particularly a partner or organization that does not exclusively or primarily work with individuals who are experiencing intimate partner violence - is: What role can organizations play in responding to intimate partner violence when it is not the primary focus of their work? I would be interested in exploring the opportunities and challenges organizations face in recognizing and responding to intimate partner violence, and how research could help inform and support their role.