The RESPECT Study
Research framework for Engaging intimate partner violence Survivors as
Partners in Empowering Collaborative Transformation
What is it about?
“This project seeks to co-create practical, equitable, and evidence-based recommendations for engaging survivors/victims in IPV research as research partners, resulting in co-creating a framework for IPV research partnerships.”
The RESPECT project is led by Dr. N. Zoe Hilton from the University of Toronto and the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, along with Dr. Elnaz Moghimi from Queen's University and the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Dr. Crystal Giesbrecht from the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS), Elke Ham from the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, and co-researcher Kristin Smith, a counselor who is also a survivor of domestic and intimate partner violence.
The RESPECT Framework Poster
The RESPECT Framework is designed to strengthen the involvement of survivors in research on intimate partner violence. It aims to transform the traditional role of survivors from being mere participants to becoming active collaborators throughout the research process. The RESPECT Framework consists of five foundational elements, each accompanied by specific recommendations for successful implementation:
(1) Centering Safety, Well-Being, and Emotional Support
(2) Sharing Power Between Organization-Affiliated and Lived Experience Researchers
(3) Respect, Trust, and Relationship Building
(4) Ensuring Equity and Accessibility
(5) Respecting and Celebrating Diverse Identities
Poster presented at the Waypoint Research In Reach Conference, May 5, 2026 (click here to download)
RESPECT Framework:
A guide for engaging survivors of intimate partner violence in research
The RESPECT project team gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the roundtable and focus group participants who generously shared their time, experiences, and perspectives for this project.
The RESPECT Study Framework
Carissa Melnyk
Presentation at the Canadian Forensic Psychology Virtual Conference, 2026
From Participants to Partners: Findings from a Rapid Scoping Review on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Survivors'/Victims' Engagement in Research
Ashley Melvin, Carissa Melnyk, N. Zoe Hilton, Crystal Giesbrecht, Elnaz Moghimi, Elke Ham, Kristin Smith
Poster Presentation at the 86th Annual National Convention for the Canadian Psychological Association, St. John’s, NL, June 2025.
Early Results of our Rapid Scoping Review:
To what extent are IPV victims/survivors involved in research beyond being “study subjects,” and what models, if any, guide their involvement?
Presentation at the 5th Annual Canadian Forensic Psychology Virtual Conference, February 7, 2025 by Carissa Melnyk and Ashley Melvin
Let’s work together -
Let’s work together -
Project Team
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Dr. Zoe Hilton is a full professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, a professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, and a Research Chair in Forensic Mental Health at Waypoint. For over 30 years, she has studied IPV risk, led multi-site inter-disciplinary teams, and translated research products into practical applications.
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Dr. Crystal Giesbrecht is the Director of Research at the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS), the member association for 25 front-line intimate partner violence (IPV) shelters and service agencies. She has published research relating to IPV intervention programs; newcomer women’s experiences of IPV; the intersection of IPV, animal maltreatment, and animal safekeeping; the workplace impact of IPV; coercive control; and addressing data gaps in the study of domestic homicide. Her doctoral research related to typologies of perpetrators of IPV. PATHS is currently researching victims/survivors’ experiences with the legal system.
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With over 10 years of experience conducting quantitative and qualitative research projects, including multi-site studies, and co-authoring 30 peer-reviewed articles, Ms. Ham is a research psychometrist at Waypoint Research Institute. She is a certified trainer for the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment and is the designer, implementer and facilitator of the ODARA 101 electronic training program (https://odara.waypointcentre.ca/ ). This self-paced, interactive e-learning program has been used to train and certify nearly 9000 police, victim services, health and corrections professionals in Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and several European countries in English and French.
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Dr. Elnaz Moghimi is an early career researcher at Waypoint and adjunct assistant professor at Queen’s University. She is currently conducting a study that uses an intersectional approach to understanding IPV service needs working with people with lived experience of IPV and a scoping review of IPV risk factors.
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Ashley Melvin is a research analyst at Waypoint, where she focuses on research on IPV and studies using patient-oriented research approaches. Ashley brings to the team experience in using qualitative and quantitative methods and she is dedicated to advancing research that seeks to understand and addresses IPV service gaps for members of marginalized and underserved communities.
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Kristin Smith is a survivor of both Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence. She is a Counsellor in private practice in Saskatoon and supports many who have experienced violence. Given her lived experience both personally and professionally, Kristin is a dedicated advocate who is passionate about addressing complex issues, such as intimate partner violence, at the systems-level to support reform and our human right to be safe.
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Carissa is a 4th year undergraduate Honours student at the University of Regina and is a research analyst at PATHS. Carissa brings to the team a diverse research background, having previously worked as a student crime analyst for the RCMP and currently working as a research assistant in the Aging, Residents, and Caregivers (ARC) Research Unit at the U of R. Carissa is passionate about the importance of patient/client-oriented research, which advocates for the inclusion of clients as research partners since they are the experts in their own experience and needs.
