Laura Wilson

Associate Professor and Director of Safe Zone

  • Fredericksburg VA UNITED STATES
  • Psychological Science

Dr. Wilson focuses on post-trauma functioning, particularly in survivors of sexual violence and among minoritized communities.

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Spotlight

2 min

Profiling a killer and predicting mass shootings -UMW's Laura Wilson speaks to media in the aftermath of July 04

On July 4, 2022 when people across America were expecting to enjoy a day off and celebrating the country's 245th birthday another mass shooting occurred.This time it was in Highland Park, Illinois and so far this year, a week has not passed in America without a mass shooting.In the aftermath of the July 4th tragedy media were clamoring to cover and looking for answers, motives and reasons. UMW's Laura Wilson, a go-to expert on the topic was contacted immediately by media.Even with Crimo's history, it's not as if Absler or anyone else could have predicted that one day he'd be accused of mass murder, experts say."We don't really know much about how to predict mass shootings, and we don't really have a profile of a shooter, what the characteristics are. They are shared by millions of people," says Laura Wilson, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. "There aren't any clear-cut characteristics that we can definitively say, this is the mold." July 11 ABC NewsDr. Laura Wilson is a clinical psychologist whose expertise focuses on post-trauma functioning, particularly in survivors of sexual violence or mass trauma (e.g., terrorism, mass shootings, combat). Her research interests extend to predictors of violence and aggression, including psychophysiological and personality factors, as well as indicators of PTSD following mass trauma, long-term functioning among first responders, outcomes among survivors of sexual violence and the influence of media on mental illness stigma.Dr. Wilson is available to speak with media, simply click on her icon to arrange an interview today.

Laura Wilson

2 min

UMW Psychological Trauma Expert Laura Wilson can help with your coverage

It was a typical spring weekend in Buffalo that was shattered by another mass-shooting.The incident was the 198th to be classified a 'mass shooting' in America so far this year.The 18-year-old man who allegedly shot and killed 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket Saturday afternoon was motivated by hate, authorities said.The Tops Friendly Market where the shooting took place is located in the heart of Buffalo’s Black community and 11 of the 13 people shot by the White suspect were Black, officials said.“This was pure evil,” Erie County Sheriff John C. Garcia said at a Saturday news conference, calling the shooting a “straight up racially motivated hate crime from somebody outside of our community.”The US Department of Justice is investigating the shooting “as a hate crime and an act of racially-motivated violent extremism,” according to a statement from US Attorney General Merrick Garland.  May 16 CNNOnce the news coverage fades, there will still be so many co-workers, first responders and families left to grapple with incidents with this level of trauma and horror. If you are a reporter looking to cover the issues survivors of mass-shooting events might face, then let us help.Dr. Laura Wilson is a clinical psychologist whose expertise focuses on post-trauma functioning, particularly in survivors of sexual violence or mass trauma (e.g., terrorism, mass shootings, combat). Her research interests extend to predictors of violence and aggression, including psychophysiological and personality factors, as well as indicators of PTSD following mass trauma, long-term functioning among first responders, outcomes among survivors of sexual violence and the influence of media on mental illness stigma.Dr. Wilson is available to speak with media, simply click on her icon to arrange an interview today.

Laura Wilson

2 min

Three students dead after Michigan shooting – UMW Psychological Trauma Expert Laura Wilson can help with your coverage

It was a tragic day in America this week as a 15-year-old is in custody after allegedly opening fire on a school in Oxford, Michigan, which left three teenagers dead and at least eight more wounded by the gunfire.Three students were killed in the attack at the school some 40 miles north of downtown Detroit -Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; and Hana St. Juliana, 14, authorities said. Myre died in a patrol car while a deputy was taking him to a hospital, Bouchard said.Eight others -seven students and a teacher -were shot, Bouchard said. Two were in critical condition Wednesday morning, he said.Among the wounded were a 14-year-old girl who was on a ventilator following surgery, Bouchard said Tuesday night. A 14-year-old boy also had a gunshot wound to the jaw and head, while the teacher who was shot had been discharged.The attack was the deadliest US school shooting since eight students and two teachers were slain in May 2018 at Texas' Santa Fe High School, according to Education Week. There have been 28 school shootings this year -20 since August 1 -by its tally. December 01 CNNMany are wondering how students, teachers, first responders and families grapple with incidents with this level of trauma and horror. If you are a reporter looking to cover the issues survivors of mass-shooting events might face, then let us help.Dr. Laura Wilson is a clinical psychologist whose expertise focuses on post-trauma functioning, particularly in survivors of sexual violence or mass trauma (e.g., terrorism, mass shootings, combat). Her research interests extend to predictors of violence and aggression, including psychophysiological and personality factors, as well as indicators of PTSD following mass trauma, long-term functioning among first responders, outcomes among survivors of sexual violence and the influence of media on mental illness stigma.Dr. Wilson is available to speak with media, simply click on her icon to arrange an interview today.

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Biography

Laura C. Wilson has a PhD in clinical psychology and her expertise focuses on post-trauma functioning, particularly in survivors of sexual violence and among minoritized communities. Her research examines the sociocultural influences on and psychosocial outcomes among survivors of sexual violence and the compounding impact of minority stress on particular populations (e.g., LGBTQ+ community). Dr. Wilson is also the director of the University of Mary Washington Safe Zone, an education and advocacy program at the University of Mary Washington that is geared toward fostering inclusion of the LGBTQ+ population. She has published more than 50 articles, in such peer-reviewed academic journals as Trauma, Violence, & Abuse; Journal of Traumatic Stress; Psychiatry Research; Journal of Clinical Psychology; Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy; Aggressive Behavior; and Behaviour Research and Therapy. She co-authored the book, "A Clinician's Guide to Disclosures of Sexual Assault," which provides guidance on and recommendations for providing survivor-centered support and services to survivors of sexual assault. She was the editor of "The Wiley Handbook of the Psychology of Mass Shootings," the gold standard reference on the topic of mass shootings from a psychological perspective. She has presented her work at numerous national and international conferences and regularly includes students in her research, publications and presentations. In 2016, Dr. Wilson was named an Association for Psychological Science Rising Star that recognizes early-career researchers worldwide who are engaging in innovative work that is advancing the field. The University also honored her with the 2017 UMW Alumni Association Outstanding Young Faculty Member Award, presented annually to an exceptional member of the junior faculty.

Areas of Expertise

LGBTQ+
Minority Stress
Trauma
Sexual Violence
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)‎

Accomplishments

Association for Psychological Science Rising Star

The honor recognizes early-career researchers worldwide who are engaging in innovative work that is advancing the field.

University of Mary Washington Alumni Association Outstanding Young Faculty Member Award

The award is presented annually to an exceptional member of the faculty who has served the institution for at least two years but no more five.

Education

Virginia Tech

Ph.D.

Clinical Psychology

College of William and Mary

M.A.

General/Experimental Psychology

Virginia Tech

B.S.

Psychology

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Media Appearances

These School Shooting Survivors Are Building Remarkable Networks of Friendship and Support

The Washington Post  online

2022-10-21

“Someone else who’s been through this will say to you, ‘I know you’re probably not thinking about this, but here’s what happened when I went back to school,’ ” says Laura Wilson, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Mary Washington who studies how trauma affects survivors.

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Highland Park parade mass murder suspect Robert E. Crimo III through people who knew him, police reports

Chicago Sun Times; ABC 7  online

2022-07-11

“We don’t really know much about how to predict mass shootings, and we don’t really have a profile of a shooter, what the characteristics are. They are shared by millions of people,” says Laura Wilson, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. “There aren’t any clear-cut characteristics that we can definitively say, this is the mold.”

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Unacknowledged rape: the sexual assault survivors who hide their trauma – even from themselves

US News Hub  online

2021-08-26

Dr. Laura Wilson, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia, says research shows that unacknowledged rape survivors are “less likely to report the crime to police, less likely to seek services – e.g. medical, mental health – and more likely to be victimized again”.

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Articles

How Female Disclosure Recipients React to Women Survivors: The Impact of Rape Acknowledgment and Rejection of Rape Myths

Sex Roles

Laura C Wilson, Hannah R Truex, Madeleine C Murphy-Neilson, Kristen P Kunaniec, Jordan T Pamlanye & Rebecca A Reed

2020

Because female rape survivors who are listened to and believed have been found to have fewer difficulties, it is essential that researchers examine factors that influence the social reactions survivors receive. The present experiment included 397 female U.S. college-students who were randomly assigned to read a vignette that either reflected an acknowledged rape survivor (i.e., used the word “rape” to describe the incident) or described an unacknowledged rape survivor (e.g., used the word “miscommunication” to describe the incident)...

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Safety and belonging as explanations for mental health disparities among sexual minority college students

Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity

Laura C Wilson, Miriam Liss

2020

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and asexual (LGBA+) college students have higher risks of mental health difficulties than heterosexual students. Consistent with minority stress theory and the psychological mediation model, we hypothesized that these disparities would be partially accounted for by lower levels of perceived safety and belonging. Data from the Wake Forest Well Being Assessment were used to examine sexual orientation, perceptions of safety, belongingness, depression, anxiety, and happiness among 563 heterosexual participants and 221 LGBA+ participants at a small Southeastern university...

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Higher rates of unacknowledged rape among men: The role of rape myth acceptance

Psychology of Men & Masculinities

Reed, Rebecca A Pamlanye, Jordan T Truex, Hannah R Murphy-Neilson, Madeleine C Kunaniec, Kristen P Newins, Amie R Wilson, Laura C

2020

Although a few existing studies suggest that men are less likely to acknowledge rape than women, limited research has been dedicated to understanding rape acknowledgment among men. The present study examined rape myths as a potential mechanism that may account for higher rates of unacknowledged rape among male survivors. The participants included 307 rape survivors who completed an online survey of unwanted sexual experiences, rape acknowledgment, and rape myth rejection...

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