Personal Safety Think Tank
Vision: To create a world where emerging adults thrive in personal safety, free from the devastating impacts of interpersonal and self-directed violence.
Mission: The Personal Safety Think Tank is committed to researching, monitoring, and implementing evidence-based strategies to effectively reduce and ultimately eliminate interpersonal (homicide) and self-directed (suicide) violence among emerging adults. Through collaborative partnerships, advocacy, and innovative solutions, we strive to empower and protect the lives of emerging adults, fostering a society that values their safety and well-being.
Goal: Our primary goal is to significantly decrease the prevalence of interpersonal and self-directed violence within the emerging adult population. By conducting cutting-edge research, promoting awareness and advocating for comprehensive policy changes, we aim to reduce the risk factors associated with violence and enhance protective factors that bolster personal safety. Our mission-driven approach will support and empower emerging adults, equipping them with the resources and support networks needed to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.
SUMMARY: Community violence exposure (CVE) and its health impact is a public health crisis. Violent crime has steadily increased over recent years and has disproportionately affected Black communities. Emerging adulthood (18–29 years old) is a vulnerable period of development and Black emerging adults may be at increased risk for negative physical and mental health consequences from CVE. This integrative review was conducted to evaluate the available evidence on health outcomes in Black emerging adults exposed to CVE. This review appraised published studies (2012–2022) addressing physical and mental health outcomes of Black emerging adults with CVE.
CITATION: Walker, D. T., Bills, K. L., & Motley, R. O. (2023). Physical and Mental Health Outcomes of Black Emerging Adults with Community Violence Exposure: An Integrative Review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380231194055
SUMMARY: There is limited research about suicidal behaviors among Black emerging adults (peak age of suicide risk) who report exposure to police violence. The current study applies an integrated approach to examine individual, immediate environment, and community-based risk and protective factors of suicide among Black college students who reported previous exposure to police violence.
CITATION: Szlyk, H., Motley, R., Joe, S., Nonas-Barnes, L., & Azasu, E. (2023). An Examination of Suicidal Behavior among Black College Students with Exposure to Police Violence. Social Work, 68(1), 18-27. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swac046
SUMMARY: Suicidality (thinking about, planning, and attempting) has become a national, growing public health concern for Black emerging adult college students in America due to increased rates among this population. The goal of the current cross-sectional study is to examine the mediating role of police contact anxiety (PCA) and moderating role of grit in the relationship between exposure to videos of police use of force in media and suicidality.
CITATION: Motley, R., Simmons, E., Azasu, E., Clifton, M., Walker, D. T., & Carnayla Johnson. (2022). Utilizing a Mediation-Moderation Model to Examine Exposure to Videos of Police use of Force in Media, Police Contact Anxiety, Grit, and Suicidality among Black Emerging Adult College Students. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1086/722584
SUMMARY: The present report, A 21st Century Look at Threats to the Personal Safety of Emerging Adults in Massachusetts, provides current estimates of homicide, suicide, police use of fatal and non-fatal force, and emergency department visits and hospitalizations for emerging adults in Massachusetts to shed light on factors that pose the greatest threat to their personal safety by gender, ethnicity, and location.
CITATION: Motley, R. O., Jr., Siddiqi, R., Acharya, A. Williamson, E., Walker, D.T., & Bills, K. (2022, May). A 21st Century Look at Threats to the Personal Safety of Emerging Adults in Massachusetts (Racism-based Violence Injury & Prevention Lab Research Brief No. 1). Boston, MA: Boston College, Racism-Based Violence Injury & Prevention Lab https://doi.org/10.6017/ssw.rbvipl.rb001.kq8472
SUMMARY: Exposure to police violence is a public health concern for Black emerging adults ages 18-29 given its prevalence and association with negative health outcomes. However, research examining the role of police legitimacy in the relationship between exposure to police use-of-force and personal safety interventions is scant. This study investigated the mediating role of perceived police legitimacy in the relationship between exposure to police use-of-force and personal safety interventions (reliance on police, self, or others) in a sample of Black emerging adults.
CITATION: Motley, R. O., Jr., & Joe, S. (2021). Exposure to Police use-of-force, Perceived Police Legitimacy, and Personal Safety Interventions Among Black Emerging Adult College Students. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1086/717586
Suicide Awareness Walk, May 20, 2023 in Hyannis at Veteran's Beach Park
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Addressing Homicide Violence Among Black Emerging Adults
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