Current Projects

Historically, intimate partner violence (IPV) and firearm violence have often been treated separately in areas such as funding, research, prevention, and intervention efforts. Recently, there has been an increasing focus on the overlap between firearms and IPV, especially in relation to policy. However, there has been less emphasis on how current policies may be less effective for Black women and other people of color, non-policy approaches, policies addressing social determinants of health, and community-driven interventions. This gap has contributed to the ongoing issue of intimate partner femicide, particularly among Black women, who face disproportionately high rates of IPV involving firearms. To address the intersection of IPV and firearms effectively, it is crucial to understand the current state of this issue, as well as the gaps in existing policies. Developing interventions must intentionally explore alternatives to the conventional approaches to IPV, such as law enforcement, and investigate strategies proven effective in reducing firearm violence, like credible messengers and community violence interventions. With adequate support and funding, firearm-related IPV prevention can significantly broaden the scope of public safety through violence reduction initiatives. This Mac Arthur funded project addressed the gaps in our collective understanding of the intersection between firearm violence and IPV by reviewing existing literature and drawing insights from interviews with over a dozen funders, academics, and community leaders with expertise in this area. (See publications for a copy of this report)

Dr. Liddell-Quintyn is a key leader in developing strong partnerships with community partners. She currently leads the partnership between the Newark Community Street Team (NCST) and the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center (NJGVRC) where she uses a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach to examine  the lived experience of Black illicit firearm access in New Jersey. This collaboration serves two primary purposes. First, it  positions NCST team members as co-researchers in the current study by including them  from the beginning stages of study design through the final stages of peer reviewed publication. In doing so, I am working with NCST to build their organizational capacity and seek to provide their team with the tools to engage in future research projects that address the needs of the community. Second, such a partnership builds trust with the community by bringing NCST members to the table as equal partners in conducting research to examine a pivotal gap in the gun violence research literature.  We know little about who acquires firearms outside of legal channels. Therefore, the NJGVRC-NCST partnership aims to gain insight into the illicit means of acquiring firearms, firearm storage practices, frequency of firearm carrying on their person, among other key questions.  Through a series of qualitative interviews with Newark community members who have illicitly acquired firearms, Dr. Liddell-Quintyn will develop a preliminary understandings of illicit firearm ownership among Black individuals, thereby providing an opportunity to develop data-driven solutions 

Research suggests that Black women are killed at a rate of 4.4 per 100 000 people compared to White women who are killed at a rate of 1.5 per 100 000 thereby placing Black women at greater risk (Petrosky, 2017). While research shows women’s risk of being killed by a partner with firearm has been high for decades (Kellermann & Mercy,1992), more research is needed to understand the nonfatal use of firearms in intimate partner violence (IPV) relationships where victims have been almost killed by the abuser specifically those women from historically disadvantaged groups. In order to better understand the non-fatal use of firearms among racial and ethnic minority groups, evidence can come from the lived experiences of African American and Black Caribbean immigrant women who have been abused by an intimate partner in a manner that involved a firearm. Gathering data from racial and ethnic minority women who have been threatened, coerced, severely injured or almost fatally harmed by a firearm in an intimate partner violence relationship can help to paint a fuller picture of the use of firearms in intimate partner violence relationships prior to such relationships becoming fatal. 

Dr. Liddell-Quintyn led the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center's (NJGVRC) inaugural Community Day of Dialogue titled: "Let's Talk: Gun Violence in New Jersey. Over 100 attendees (academics, community members, and youth) met to discuss gun violence and its impact on communities across New Jersey. The event was held at the Paul Robeson Campus Center, Rutgers University, Newark Campus on Friday, October 20, 2023. Breakout sessions focused on firearm-related topics impacting communities across New Jersey.