Dr. Betty Jo Barrett is a Professor in the School of Social Work whose research examines gender-based violence in heterosexual and 2SLGBTQ+ relationships, as well as the connections between interpersonal abuse and harm toward animals. She has a PhD and MSSW from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a BSW from Virginia Commonwealth University. 

She is Co-Director of the Health Research Centre for the Study of Violence Against Women and a founding member of the Animal and Interpersonal Abuse Research Group. Her work is grounded in critical, feminist, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist approaches, with additional expertise in trauma-informed practice and knowledge mobilization. Dr. Barrett is an instructor in the Walls to Bridges Program, facilitating collaborative learning with incarcerated students. 

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)