Carolyn O'Connor

Student Director (2023-2025)

Carolyn O’Connor, MSW, RSW (she/her) is a doctoral candidate at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto, where she also works as a course instructor for two practice-based MSW courses. In addition, she is a social worker serving clients in private practice. Her research interests include complex childhood trauma, particularly exposure to intimate partner violence, as well as violence against women, sexual consent, and sexual violence prevention. As the new Student Director on the OASW Board, Carolyn represents the social work student population and seeks to amplify their voices and perspectives.

Carolyn’s doctoral research explores sexual consent among adolescents and seeks to understand how this population conceptualizes and applies these concepts in their relationships. Using mixed methods, this dissertation will address adolescents’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours regarding sexual consent, what sources inform or influence them, and the dominant cultural discourses of consent depicted in popular media. This work will fill an important gap in the literature and provide valuable knowledge that can inform sexual violence prevention, education, and social policy. 

Carolyn has been involved in several research projects at the University of Toronto, including a multi-site evaluation of a gender-based violence prevention program for middle school students (supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada) as well as a study examining the impact of collective sexual violence disclosures and the #MeToo movement on survivors’ decisions to disclose or report their experiences. Alongside her supervisor and colleagues, Carolyn recently conducted a large-scale study of social workers and social work students across Canada to understand their early adversities, mental health, and levels of resilience, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings are concerning, and point to important equity issues that call for increased advocacy and supports. 

Carolyn is excited and ready to work alongside Board leadership to advocate for students’ needs and support the larger OASW community in realizing their vision.