Did You Know

African-American women experience intimate partner violence at rates 35% higher than their White counterparts and 2.5 times the rate of men and other races

Intimate partner homicide is the leading cause of death for African-American women ages 15 to 45

Domestic violence affects all Americans, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status. However, this threat has disproportionately dire consequences for African-American women.

Learn More in our Fact Sheet Section

William Oliver is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Indiana University . He has served as a member of the IDVAAC Steering Committee since 1996. His primary area of research examines the social context and interpersonal dynamics associated with violent confrontations among African Americans. His book, The Violent Social World of Black Men has been praised for its revealing analysis of the interpersonal and intrapersonal dynamics of violent confrontation that occur among black men in street corner social settings. In addition, he has also conducted research in Bermuda, in which he examined how convicted violent offenders perceived the causes of street violence in Bermuda and the various turning points that led them to commit acts of street violence. Oliver's more recent work ahs focused on the intersection of prisoner reentry and intimate partner violence in the African American community. Professor Oliver received his B.S. in political science from Tuskegee University and his masters and Ph.D. in criminal justice from the School of Criminal Justice at the state University of New York at Albany

Dr. Oliver is the author of a number of publications including:

Oliver, W., & Hairston, C.F. (2008). Intimate Partner Violence during the transition from Prison to the Community-Perspectives of Incarcerated African American Men.” Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and trauma , vol. 16(3), (2008), pp.258-276.

Oliver, W. (2007). Hip Hop Culture: An Alternative Site for Gender Socialization in the African American Community.” In L. A. See (Ed.), Human Behavior in the Social Environment from an African American Perspective (pp. 365-391). New York: The Haworth Press.

Oliver, W. (2007). The Nigga Image in Hip Hop.” Nat Creole, no. 15 (April): Available Online: www.natcreole.com

Oliver, W. (2006). The Streets: An Alternative Black Male Socialization Institution.” The Journal of Black Studies , vol. 36, 918-937.

Oliver, W., Williams, O. J., Hairston, C. F., & Crowder, L. (2004). Prisoner Reentry and Intimate Partner Violence in the African American Community: The Case for Culturally Competent Interventions. Journal of the Institute of Justice & International Studies , vol 1 (4), 147-156.

Hampton, R.L., Oliver, W., & Magarian, L. (2003). Domestic Violence in the African American Community: An Analysis of Social and Structural Factors.” Violence Against Women, vol. 8, 1-25.

Oliver, W. (2003). The Structural-Cultural Perspective: A Theory of Black Male Violence”. In D. F. Hawkins (Editor). Violent Crime: Assessing Race & Ethnic Differences (280-302). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Oliver, W. (2001). Cultural Racism and Structural Violence: Implications for African Americans. Journal of Human Behavior and the Social Environment , 4, (2/3), 1-26.

Oliver, W. (2000). Violence in Bermuda: The Perspectives of Violent Men. Caribbean Journal of Criminology and Social Psychology , vol. 5, 119-153.

Oliver, W. (2000). Preventing Domestic Violence in the African American Community: The Rationale for Popular Culture Interventions.” Violence Against Women , vol. 5, 533 - 549.

Oliver, W. (2000). The Public Health and Social Consequences of Black Male Violence.” Journal of African American Men, vol. 5, 71-92.

Oliver, W. (1998). The Violent Social World of Black Men. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.