Kendra Nixon

• Doctor of Philosophy (Social Work) - University of Calgary, 2009
• Master of Social Work - University of Calgary, 2009
• Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) - King’s College, 1998
• Certificate in Criminology (Honours) - University of Toronto, 1995
• Bachelor of Arts (Economics) - University of Western Ontario, 1992

Dr. Nixon’s overarching research agenda focuses on gender-based violence. She specializes in the following areas:

• intimate partner violence

  children’s exposure to violence

  mothering within the context of violence

  domestic homicide

  suicide and violence

  sexual exploitation

Dr. Nixon’s research has primarily focused on policies aimed at reducing violence, as well as institutional responses to intimate partner violence, including the child welfare and criminal justice systems. Dr. Nixon is also the Director of RESOLVE, a tri-prairie research network on family and gender-based violence.

Dr. Nixon is the Principal Investigator on the following grants (last five years):

Nixon, K., Henriquez, N., & Smith, N. COVID-19 and the Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence Survivors and Service Providers, Individual Partnership Engage Grant (PEG) COVID-19 Special Initiative (SSHRC), 2020-2021, $24,780

Nixon, K., Hiebert-Murphy, Mota, N., & Bennet, M., Exploring Suicidality Among Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence, UM SSHRC/Explore, 2020-2021, University of Manitoba, $7,000

Nixon, K., Exploring Suicidality Among Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence, Faculty of Social Work Research Development Funds, 2020-2021, University of Manitoba, $5,000

Nixon, K., Ristock, J., Peter, T., Hoffart, R., Tutthill, M., Dack, S., Letourneau, N., McManus, C., Wood, K., & Loewen Walker, R. Examining the Nature & Context of IPV in the 2SLGBTQ Community, 2020-2021, Prairieaction Foundation Special Call, $74,922

Nixon, K., Wood, K., Letourneau, N., McBride, D., Stupack, B., McManus, C., & Dusel, J. Understanding Responses and Resources to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Against Female Victims Within Rural Municipalities in the Prairie Provinces, 2020-2021, Prairieaction Foundation Special Call, $74,902

Nixon, K., Fraehlich, C., Turnbull, L., & Ferguson, P. Caught in the middle: Children’s involvement in the court process as it relates to intimate partner violence, 2019-2020, Praireaction Foundation Special Call, $66,711

Nixon, K., Alaggia, R., Black, T., Jenny, A., Milne, L., & Bennett, M. In search of promising approaches: Canadian child protection responses to cases of intimate partner violence, 2016-2021. Insight Grant (SSHRC), $155,193

Dr. Nixon serve as a Co-Investigator on the following grants (last five years):

Jaffe, P. & Scott, K. (Principal Investigators), Nixon, K. (Co-I), Jackson, M., Holtmann, C., & Lessard, G. Supporting the Health of Survivors of Family Violence in Family Law Proceedings. Public Health Agency of Canada, 2020-2023, $1,185,270

Collin-Vézina, D. (Principal Investigator). Co-Is. Afifi, T. Alaggia, R; Arnold, Paul; Bennett, Sue; Berthelot, Nicolas; Brend, Denise; Daigneault, Isabelle; Dimitropoulos, Gina; Fallon, Barbara; Frewen, Paul; Geoffrion, Steve; Godbout, Natacha; Gonzales, Andrea; Hébert, Martine; Jenney, Angelique; Kimber, Melissa; Lafortune, Denis; Lanctôt, Nadine; Langevin, Rachel; Laurier, Catherine; Lwin, Kristen; Park, Melissa; Pearson, Jessica; MacLaurin, Bruce; MacKenzie, Michael; MacMillan, Harriet; Madigan, Sheri; Maurer, Katherine; Milne, Lise; Milot, Tristan; Montreuil, Tina; Nixon, K. ; Nutton, Jennifer; Ouellet-Morin, Isabelle; Romano, Elisa; Stewart, Shannon; Tarabulsy, George; Turcotte, Mathilde; Wekerle, C. Canadian Consortium on Child Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care: Developing cohesive intersectoral practices and policies to support trauma-impacted children and youth. SSHRC Partnership Grant (2020-2027). $2,499,658

Letourneau, N. (Principal Investigator). Co-PIs: Ross, K., Pliszka, H., Collier, C., Lalonde, S., Varro, S. Co-I’s: Graham, I., Nixon, K.,  Piotrowski, C., Wood, K., Birnie, K., Kobor, M., Merrill, S. Collaborators: Hart, M.,  Cole, S., O'Beirne, M., Shajana, Z, & Snell. S. (2020). ATTACH™ Program: Promoting Vulnerable Children’s Health at Scale. CIHR-SPOR Operating Grant. $1,047,984

Brownell, M…. Nixon, K. (Co-Investigator). Across the Spectrum: Building a Multi-Sector Partnership to Conduct Social Policy Evaluation and Research Using Big Data, SSHRC Partnership Development Grant, $199,960

Dawson, M., Jaffe, P. Crocker, D., Dubé, Fairbairn, J., Guruge, S., Hampton, M, Holtmann, C., Kaye, J., Letourneau, N, Moffitt, P., Nixon, K. (Co-Investigator), Ricardson/Kinewesquao, C., Rossiter, K., Scott, K., Ursel, J. Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative with Vulnerable Populations (CDHPIVP), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) 2015-2020, http://cdhpi.ca/SSHRC/about-sshrc

Bonnycastle, C., Hughes, J., Nixon, K. (Co-Investigator), Hickes, K, & Bonnycastle, M. Re-establishing their lives: The issues of affordable housing for women and their children escaping violent relationships in Northern Manitoba, 2016-2017. Manitoba Research Alliance/SSHRC Partnership Grant. $11,570

Dr. Nixon’s teaching interests include social welfare policy, policy analysis, and qualitative research. Dr. Nixon supervises students at the Masters and Doctoral levels.

Selected publications:

Tutty, L. M., Radtke, H. L., Thurston, W. E., Ursel, E. J., Nixon, K. L., Hampton, M., & Ateah, C. (2020). A longitudinal study of the well-being of Canadian women abused by intimate partners: A healing journey. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma.  DOI: 10.1080/10926771.2020.1821852 

Tutty, L., M, & Nixon, K. L. (2020). Mothers abused by intimate partners: Comparisons of women whose children were removed by child protective services and those whose were not. Children and Youth Services Review, 115. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105090

Fallis, J. & Nixon, K. (2020). From protection to expulsion:  A critical examination of aging out of care. In H. Berman, C. Richardson/Kinewesquao, K. Elliot, and E. Canas (Eds). Everyday violence in the lives of youth: Speaking out and pushing back (pp. 37-56). Black Point, NS: Fernwood.

Tutty, L. M., Radtke, H. L., Thurston, W. E., Nixon, K. L., Ursel, E. J., Ateah, C. A. & Hampton, M. (2019). The mental health and well-being of Canadian Indigenous and non-Indigenous women abused by intimate partners. Violence Against Women. DOI: https://doi-org.uml.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/1077801219884123 

Wall-Wieler E, Roos LL, Brownell M, Nickel NC, Chateau D, Nixon K. (2018). Postpartum depression and anxiety among mothers whose child was placed in care of child protection services at birth: A retrospective cohort study using linkable administrative data. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 22(10). DOI: 10.1007/s10995-018-2607-x

Tutty, L. M., Radtke, H. L., Ateah, C. A., Ursel, E. J., Thurston, W. E., Hampton, M., & Nixon, K. L., (2017). The complexities of intimate partner violence: Mental health, disabilities, and child abuse history for White, Indigenous, and other visible minority Canadian women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1-25. DOI: 10.1177/0886260517741210

Nixon, K., Tutty, L. M., Radtke, H. L., Ateah, C., & Ursel, J. (2016). Protective strategies of mothers abused by intimate partners: Rethinking the deficit model. Violence Against Women, 1-22. DOI: 10.1177/1077801216658978 

Ateah, C., Tutty, L. M., Radtke, H. L., Nixon, K. & Ursel, J.  (2016). Mothering, guiding, and responding to children: Are women abused by intimate partners different?  Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1-20. DOI: 10.1177/0886260516665109

Nixon, K., Bonnycastle, C., Ens, S. (2015). Challenging the notion of failure to protect: Exploring the protective strategies of urban and northern abused mothers in Canada and implications for practice. Child Abuse Review, 1-12. DOI: 10.1002/car.2417

Visit Kendra Nixon’s ResearchGate page