Richard M. Tolman

Richard M. Tolman, PhD, LMSW, is a Professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work with over four decades of experience in violence prevention research and practice. He serves as Co-Director of the Global Research Program on Mobilizing Men for Violence Prevention, a collaborative initiative between the University of Michigan and University of Minnesota. Dr. Tolman earned his PhD in Social Welfare from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1984), MSW from the University of Michigan (1979), and BS in Communication Studies from Northwestern University (1975).

• PhD Social Welfare, University of Wisconsin-Madison (1984)
• MSW Interpersonal Practice, University of Michigan (1979)
• BS Communication Studies, Northwestern University (1975)

Dr. Tolman's research focuses on interventions for abusive behavior, impact of violence on victims' physical/psychological/economic well-being, abuse during pregnancy, and engaging men as allies against gender-based violence. His scholarly trajectory began in 1980 as a practitioner working with men who batter, evolving into significant contributions in violence prevention. He is particularly noted for developing the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory, a widely used assessment tool in abuse research.

His recent publications (2022-2025) reveal consistent emphasis on disparities across racial, gender identity, and sexual orientation subpopulations, particularly regarding campus sexual assault, intimate partner violence during the pandemic, and technology-facilitated abuse. These works demonstrate methodological diversity including national surveys, longitudinal studies, and innovative digital interventions.

• Fellow, American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (2017)
• W. K. Kellogg Foundation Funding recipient (2023)
• ENGAGE Small Grant recipient (2024)

As an educator, Dr. Tolman teaches in the interpersonal practice sequence and co-instructs a course on community empowerment through creative expression. His ongoing research directly informs campus policies, particularly regarding the 2022 Violence Against Women Act reauthorization, and has significant implications for culturally responsive services targeting sexual and gender minority students of color.