Sharyn Potter
Executive Director, Prevention Innovations Research Center
Sharyn J. Potter, Ph.D., M.P.H., is a professor in the Department of Sociology and executive director of research for Prevention Innovations, Research and Practices for Ending Violence Against Women on Campus, a research and development unit at the University of New Hampshire. Potter has a doctoral degree in medical sociology and a masters degree in public health from Emory University. She co-leads the development, dissemination, and evaluation and of the Know Your PowerTM Bystander Social Marketing Campaign that raises awareness regarding the problem of sexual and relationship violence and models prosocial behaviors that target audience members can use in situations where sexual and relationship violence and stalking are occurring, have occurred or have the potential to occur. The Know Your Power Bystander Social Marketing Campaign has received funding from a variety of sources including the Department of Justice, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the UNH Parents Association. Potter has also led two research studies that examined the prevalence of sexual assault among New Hampshire women and men ages 18 and over. She completed a study examining the prevalence of sexual violence among working women and has co-authored three papers using data from the NH Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) database. Potter is a member of the Public Education Committee of the New Hampshire Governor’s Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence.
Research Interests
- Sexual violence bystander prevention and response strategies for university, military and community settings
Courses Taught
- JUST 602: Research Internship
- PSYC 999: Doctoral Research
- SOC 545: Sexualized Violence
- SOC 595: Independent Reading & Research
- SOC 699: Senior Thesis
- SOC 792: Internship Independent Study
Selected Publications
Potter, S. J., Fountain, K., & Stapleton, J. G. (2012). Addressing Sexual and Relationship Violence in the LGBT Community Using a Bystander Framework. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 20(4), 201-208. doi:10.3109/10673229.2012.712838
Potter, S. J., & Stapleton, J. G. (2012). Translating Sexual Assault Prevention from a College Campus to a United States Military Installation. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27(8), 1593-1621. doi:10.1177/0886260511425795
Potter, S. J. (2012). Using a Multimedia Social Marketing Campaign to Increase Active Bystanders on the College Campus. Journal of American College Health, 60(4), 282-295. doi:10.1080/07448481.2011.599350
Potter, S. J., & Stapleton, J. G. (2011). Bringing in the Target Audience in Bystander Social Marketing Materials for Communities: Suggestions for Practitioners. Violence Against Women, 17(6), 797-812. doi:10.1177/1077801211410364
Potter, S. J., & Laflamme, D. J. (2011). An Assessment of State Level Sexual Assault Prevalence Estimates. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 15(1), 77-86. doi:10.1007/s10995-010-0565-z
Potter, S. J., & Banyard, V. L. (2011). The Victimization Experiences of Women in the Workforce: Moving Beyond Single Categories of Work or Violence. Violence and Victims, 26(4), 513-532. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.26.4.513
Potter, S. J., Stapleton, J. G., & Moynihan, M. M. (2008). Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating a Media Campaign Illustrating the Bystander Role. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 36(1-2), 39-55. doi:10.1080/10852350802022308
Potter, S. J., & McKinlay, J. B. (2005). From a relationship to encounter: an examination of longitudinal and lateral dimensions in the doctor–patient relationship. Social Science & Medicine, 61(2), 465-479. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2004.11.067
Potter, S. J. (2001). A Longitudinal Analysis of the Distinction between For-Profit and Not-for-Profit Hospitals in America. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 42(1), 17. doi:10.2307/3090225
Most Cited Publications