I received my PhD and MSW from the University of Toronto. I also have an Honours BA (Psychology) from Trent University and an Honours BSc (Economics) from Universidad del Pacifico (Peru). Prior to joining Laurier in 2011, I taught at the School of Social Work- Ryerson University, the Faculty of S...
I received my PhD and MSW from the University of Toronto. I also have an Honours BA (Psychology) from Trent University and an Honours BSc (Economics) from Universidad del Pacifico (Peru). Prior to joining Laurier in 2011, I taught at the School of Social Work- Ryerson University, the Faculty of Social Work- University of Toronto, and the Certificate for Internationally Trained Social Workers –Ryerson University. My social work practice has been primarily in the fields of community mental health and violence against women. Born and raised in Peru, I am a peace and human rights advocate, committed to eradicate gender-based violence.
My research focuses on how people survive and resist violence, in particular, political, sexual, and structural violence and the health consequences of such violence. As a diaspora social work researcher informed by decoloniality, I believe in a ‘reverse mission’ this is- rather than to rescue- to learn from the Global South and to advance social work responses to neo-colonialism.
My previous research (2008- 2011) has honoured the gendered resilience and resistance of Indigenous women in Peru in the aftermath of mass violence and their use of political activism as a resilience strategy (2012-2013). Supported by CIHR, I have also (2013- 2016) examined youth informed priorities on HIV/STIs prevention and sexual health rights in Peru.