Rothman Named to Governor’s Council on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence.

Emily Rothman, an associate professor of community health sciences, is among the initial 18 new appointees to the relaunched Massachusetts Governor’s Council on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence.

The council will set and report on annual goals and recommendations related to the Commonwealth’s funding, programs, and best practices for the response, prevention, and treatment of domestic violence and sexual assault. With additional appointments expected over the next few months, the council will eventually consist of up to 30 members representing researchers, service providers, advocates, health care practitioners, the Attorney General’s Office, law enforcement, and the court system.

Governor Charlie Baker signed an executive order on April 27 to relaunch the Governor’s Council, first established in 2007 under former Governor Deval Patrick. Baker’s executive order also continues the practice of elevating the council directly under the oversight of the Governor’s Office, with similar advisory authority as other cabinet positions.

Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito will chair the council, which will meet every two months and will conduct outreach programs and establish committees to carry out the aims of reviewing programs to reduce sexual assault and domestic violence in the Commonwealth. According to the Governor’s Office, between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014, more than 2,000 incidents of sexual assault were reported to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Rape Crisis Centers.

Rothman also holds secondary appointments at the School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Emergency Medicine. She has provided violence-related consulting to the World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the National Resource Center on Sexual Violence, the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, and many other state and local organizations.