Vithya Murugan

Dr. Vithya Murugan is an Associate Professor and Director of the B.S.S.W. Program at the School of Social Work, Saint Louis University. Her work focuses on domestic violence, sexual assault, and community-based participatory research. She earned her Ph.D. in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis and her M.S.W. from Rutgers University.

Her research emphasizes culturally competent approaches to addressing gender-based violence, particularly among marginalized communities such as Orthodox Jewish populations and South Asian women. Key contributions include studies on help-seeking behaviors, health consequences of intimate partner violence (IPV), and policy reforms in child welfare systems.

Dr. Murugan has been recognized with awards including the Terry Leet Award for Teaching Excellence and Faculty Fellowships from the National Center for Faculty Development and the CHER Institute. Her community engagement includes serving on boards like the ALS Association of Saint Louis and Washington University’s Campus Y, reflecting her commitment to social justice and equity.

Her recent publications (2021–2024) explore topics like IPV’s health impacts stratified by race, pandemic-era crisis responses for survivors, and gender role dynamics in South Asian youth. Her work consistently bridges academic research with actionable community interventions.