معرفی
Stephanie Bonnes is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of New Haven, where she is affiliated with the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences. Her academic work focuses on gender, victimization, inequality, and organizational dynamics within military contexts, with particular expertise in sexual harassment and assault in the U.S. military.
Education:
- Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2018
- M.A. in Political and International Studies, Rhodes University, 2010
- B.A. in Sociology and History, Gettysburg College, 2008
Dr. Bonnes conducts rigorous qualitative research examining how gender, identity, and organizational structures intersect to create vulnerability to sexual abuse within military institutions. Her work reveals how masculinity and misogyny become embedded in military policies, physical spaces, and cultural norms, creating systems that perpetuate sexual violence despite formal prevention efforts. She investigates bureaucratic harassment mechanisms, victim responses to trauma, and the intersectional dimensions of military sexual violence across race, gender, and military rank.
Analysis of her publication record shows consistent thematic development across multiple disciplinary perspectives. Her recent work demonstrates how military legal professionals navigate complex emotional terrain when handling sexual assault cases, how victim legitimacy is constructed (or denied) in military justice proceedings, and how bureaucratic systems can inadvertently perpetuate rather than prevent sexual harassment. Her scholarship bridges sociology, criminology, gender studies, and military studies to provide a comprehensive understanding of institutional sexual violence.
Notable Awards:
- 2024 Society for the Study of Social Problems Crime and Juvenile Delinquency Division Scholarly Achievement Award
- 2024 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Victimology Section New Scholar Award
- 2023 American Society of Criminology Division of Feminist Criminology's CoraMae Richey Mann "Inconvenient Woman of the Year"
- 2020 SAGE Teaching Innovation Award
- 2018 American Sociological Association's Sex and Gender Section Sally Hacker Graduate Student Paper Award
Dr. Bonnes has successfully secured competitive research funding including the 2023 American Political Science Association Centennial Center Grant and multiple MSU Exploratory Research Pilot grants. She actively mentors students, with several co-authored publications featuring graduate researchers like Samantha Tosto and Kylie McCarthy. Her media commentary reaches broad audiences through major outlets including The Washington Post, where she has provided expert analysis on sexual harassment in the military and related policy issues.
As a leading expert in military sexual violence, Dr. Bonnes is frequently consulted by media organizations and invited to speak at national events. She delivered the keynote address at the 2024 National Discussion on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment at America's Colleges, Universities, and Military Service Academies, where she addressed strategies for cultivating healthy culture climates in military institutions.
