Chitra Raghavan

Chitra Raghavan is a tenured full professor and clinical psychologist at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY. She serves as Professor of Psychology, Director of the Forensic Mental Health Counseling Program, and Coordinator of Victimology Studies in Forensic Psychology. Her expertise spans trauma and abuse, human trafficking, intimate partner violence, and forensic evaluations. She holds a Ph.D. in Community and Clinical Psychology from the University of Illinois (1998) and a B.A. from Smith College (1992).

Education:

• 2000: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Yale University School of Medicine
• 1998: Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• 1995: M.A., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• 1992: B.A., Smith College (Magna Cum Laude)
• 1990–1991: Université Paris V (Smith Junior Year Abroad)

Research Interests: Coercive control, sex trafficking, trauma bonding, multicultural assessment, and integrating Eastern psychological principles into forensic practice. She has authored over 50 articles and two books on gender justice, domestic violence, and self-determination in Muslim communities.

Media and Awards:

• Named “New York’s New Abolitionists” (2014) by the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition
• Featured in The New York Times, MSNBC, and podcasts like Prevention is Now and Schein On.

Teaching and Outreach: Teaches courses across BA, MA, and PhD programs in forensic psychology, trauma, and gender studies. Leads study abroad programs in Bali (cultural self-study) and Morocco (gender and feminism in non-Western contexts). Collaborates with Dr. Jennifer Pipitone on pedagogy and global psychology education.

Labs/Teams: Active in research partnerships and case law contributions, including shaping New York State rulings through expert testimony (e.g., 2018 case law).