Privacy Policy
1- Information We Collect
A. When You Visit Our Website
Like most websites, we automatically collect certain technical data when you visit our site, including:
– Your IP address and approximate geographic location
– Browser type, version, and device type
– Pages visited and time spent on each page
– The referring website that directed you to us
– Other standard website analytics data
This data is used solely to maintain and improve our website and is not used to identify you personally.
B. When You Purchase Merchandise
When you purchase merchandise through our online store, we collect information necessary to process and fulfill your order, including:
– Name
– Email address
– Shipping address
– Payment information (processed securely by a third-party payment provider — we do not store credit card data)
C. When You Register for a Webinar
When you register for one of our webinars, we collect:
– Name
– Email address
– Any information you voluntarily submit through the registration form
D. When You Participate in a Research Study
When you enroll as a participant in one of our research studies, we collect information as outlined in the study’s specific informed consent documentation, which you will receive and must agree to before participation begins. The types of information collected vary by study but may include demographic information and survey responses relevant to the study’s research questions.
Where applicable, contact information (such as name, address, phone number, and email) may be collected separately for the sole purpose of sending compensation. This information is never linked to your survey responses, which are kept strictly confidential.
E. When You Contact Us
If you reach out to us via email or a contact form, we collect your email address and the content of your message so we can respond to your inquiry.
2- How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
– To process and fulfill merchandise orders
– To provide access to webinars you have registered for
– To conduct and administer research studies in accordance with approved protocols
– To send you regular updates about the Center, including news, research findings, upcoming webinars, and other mission-related communications (see Section 5)
– To respond to your questions or inquiries
– To improve our website, events, and services
– To comply with legal obligations
We Will Never Sell Your Information
The Center for Violence Prevention Research will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party, for any reason, under any circumstances. This applies to all individuals whose information we collect — website visitors, merchandise customers, webinar registrants, and research participants alike.
We share information only in the limited circumstances described in Section 7 of this policy, and only as necessary to operate our programs and fulfill our mission.
3- Communications and Email Updates
Important Notice
By purchasing merchandise from our store or registering for a webinar, you are signing up to receive regular updates from the Center for Violence Prevention Research. These updates may include research news, upcoming events, webinar announcements, and other mission-related communications.
You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email we send you. Unsubscribing from marketing communications will not affect your ability to receive transactional emails related to an active order or webinar registration.
Research Study Participants
We take the privacy of research participants seriously and hold it to the highest standard. The following protections apply to all individuals who participate in our research studies.
Contact Strictly Limited to Study Matters
– Information collected from study participants is used exclusively for the purposes of the research study in which you enrolled.
– We will only contact research participants regarding matters directly related to your participation in a study — such as study updates, scheduling, compensation, or follow-up requirements of the research protocol.
– We will never contact research participants for marketing purposes, merchandise promotions, or general organizational updates unless you separately and explicitly opt in to such communications.
Survey Data and Identifying Information Are Kept Separate
Where studies require contact information (such as name, address, phone number, or email) for the purpose of sending compensation, this information is collected independently of your survey responses and is never linked to them. Your answers to study questions are confidential and cannot be traced back to you personally.
Research data is collected and stored without personally identifying information, and is de-identified prior to analysis and publication to protect participant privacy.
IRB Oversight and Federal Protections
All research studies conducted by the Center are reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to launch. The IRB, as well as the study’s federal sponsor (where applicable), may have permission to review study records for oversight purposes. These parties are bound by strict confidentiality requirements and cannot link identifiable information to individual survey responses.
Applicable studies are covered by a Certificate of Confidentiality issued by the National Institutes of Health. This means that researchers are legally prohibited from disclosing information that could identify a participant in any civil, criminal, administrative, legislative, or other federal or state proceeding — including in response to a court subpoena — without the participant’s consent. Exceptions include mandatory reporting required by law, such as reports of child abuse or threats of harm.
Future Use of Research Data
Some studies include an optional provision allowing de-identified data to be used in future research. Participants are asked to provide separate consent for this at the time of enrollment — it is never a condition of participation. If you consent to future use, your data may be shared with other researchers only after all identifying information has been removed, and only under conditions approved by an IRB.
Participants also have the option, at enrollment, to consent to being contacted about future research studies. This is always optional and does not affect participation in the current study.
4- Data Storage and Security
– Research data is stored, handled, and reported in accordance with applicable IRB requirements and federal research privacy regulations.
– All project files are stored in a secure, password-protected directory accessible only to the study team.
– No identifying information is stored in paper form or on personal devices. All data is kept on encrypted, password-protected institutional computers and the Center’s secure servers.
If you have questions about how your data is used in a specific study, please refer to the consent documents you received at enrollment or contact us directly.
5- Sharing Your Information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share information in the following limited circumstances:
Service Providers
We work with trusted third-party vendors to operate our website and services, including payment processors, webinar platforms, email communications providers, and website hosting services. These vendors access only the information necessary to perform their functions and are contractually required to protect your data.
Research Collaborators
We may share de-identified or aggregated research data with academic collaborators, funders, or public health organizations for the purposes of advancing violence prevention science. No personally identifiable information is shared in this context.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or government authority, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of the Center, our users, or the public. Note that research data covered by a Certificate of Confidentiality is afforded additional legal protections, as described in Section 6.
6- Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, or as required or permitted by law. Specifically:
– Merchandise order information is retained for as long as needed to fulfill your order, handle returns or disputes, and comply with applicable tax and accounting requirements.
– Webinar registration information is retained for the duration of our communications relationship with you. You may request deletion at any time by unsubscribing and contacting us.
– Website analytics data is retained in aggregate, anonymized form and does not contain personally identifying information.
– Research study data is retained in accordance with the terms of the study’s IRB-approved protocol, the requirements of the study’s federal sponsor, and applicable law. De-identified data may be retained indefinitely for scientific and public health purposes.
– Contact information collected for compensation purposes in research studies is retained only until compensation has been delivered, after which it is deleted or de-identified.
When personal information is no longer needed, we delete it securely or de-identify it so that it can no longer be linked to you. If you would like to request deletion of your personal information prior to our standard retention period, please contact us via the contact us form on the website.
7- Data Security
We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Payment transactions are processed through encrypted, PCI-compliant third-party processors, and we do not store credit card information on our systems. All Center staff complete mandatory cybersecurity training on a quarterly basis to ensure consistent awareness of data protection responsibilities and best practices.
While we take data security seriously, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we are committed to promptly addressing any suspected breach.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to websites, resources, or tools operated by third parties, including partner organizations, academic institutions, and public health agencies. These third-party sites have their own privacy policies and practices, which we do not control and are not responsible for.
The inclusion of a link on our site does not constitute an endorsement of the linked site or its privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party site you visit before providing personal information.
Do Not Track
Some browsers include a “Do Not Track” (DNT) feature that signals to websites that you do not want your online activity tracked. Our website does not currently respond to DNT signals, as no uniform standard for how websites should interpret these signals has been established.
You can limit data collection on our site by adjusting your browser’s cookie settings. Note that doing so may affect the functionality of certain parts of our website. We do not use tracking for advertising purposes.
8- Your Rights and Choices
You have the following rights with respect to your personal information:
– Unsubscribe: You may opt out of email communications at any time via the unsubscribe link in any email or by contacting us directly.
– Access and Correction: You may request access to the personal information we hold about you or ask us to correct inaccurate information.
– Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to any legal or contractual retention requirements. We will respond to deletion requests within 30 days.
– Research Withdrawal: If you are a research participant, you may withdraw from a study at any time without penalty. Please refer to your study’s informed consent document for details. Note that survey responses already submitted cannot be deleted because they contain no identifying information and cannot be linked back to you.
– Future Research Opt-Out: If you previously consented to future use of your de-identified data, you have the right to withdraw that authorization by contacting us.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Privacy Contact at the address listed in Section 15. We will confirm receipt of your request and respond within 30 days. If we require additional time, we will inform you in writing.
9- Children’s Privacy
Our website, merchandise store, and general webinars are intended for individuals 18 years of age and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it promptly.
Research studies involving minors are conducted only in accordance with applicable IRB requirements and with appropriate parental or guardian consent as required by law. Children do not directly participate as survey respondents in our studies unless a specific IRB-approved protocol permits it with appropriate safeguards.
Safeguarding
1. Policy Statement
The Center for Violence Prevention Research (“the Center”) is dedicated to protecting the dignity, wellbeing, and rights of every individual we engage with, particularly children and adults at risk of harm. As an institution committed to research on interpersonal violence, we have a duty to prevent all forms of abuse, exploitation, or neglect across all of our programs, partnerships, fieldwork, and communications.
We define safeguarding as the actions, policies, and procedures that prevent and respond to harm, whether emotional, physical, sexual, financial, or psychological.
2. Purpose and Scope
This policy applies to all Center activities, including research, data collection, education, convenings, partnerships, and public communications. It covers:
Center staff (full-time, part-time, interns)
Board members, fellows, and advisors
Contractors, volunteers, and visiting researchers
Partner organizations and collaborators
Any individual acting on behalf of the Center in any capacity
3. Our Commitments
Zero Tolerance for abuse, harm, or exploitation
Equity and Inclusion: Respecting the dignity and rights of all individuals regardless of race, gender, disability, religion, age, or background
Do No Harm: Embedding safety and ethics across all research and fieldwork
Survivor-Centered Approach: Prioritizing the voice, safety, and healing of survivors
Transparency and Accountability in our safeguarding processes
Participation: Including individuals, especially children and adults at risk, in decisions affecting them
4. Definitions
Child: Any person under 18 years old
Adult at Risk: Anyone 18+ who, by reason of trauma, illness, age, disability, dependency, or social marginalization, is vulnerable to harm
Abuse: Any action that violates a person’s rights—including physical, emotional, sexual, psychological, or financial harm
Safeguarding Concern: A concern or allegation that someone may be experiencing or is at risk of harm
5. Code of Conduct for Safeguarding
All individuals acting on behalf of the Center are expected to:
· Maintain high standards of ethical and professional behavior
· Respect privacy and confidentiality
· Treat all individuals equally, without discrimination
· Never engage in harassment, bullying, or abuse
· Avoid private, unsupervised interactions with children or adults at risk
· Refrain from initiating personal contact or social media communication with minors
· Immediately report safeguarding concerns in accordance with our procedures
· Comply with local and international safeguarding laws and cultural expectations
· Participate in required safeguarding training
6. Safeguarding in Research and Fieldwork
All research conducted or commissioned by the Center must be designed and implemented in ways that:
Include a risk assessment for safeguarding
Ensure informed consent and ethical data collection
Use trauma-sensitive methods and protocols
Provide support or referrals to research participants where appropriate
Protect the confidentiality and dignity of all individuals
7. Digital and Remote Safeguarding
All digital communications with children or adults at risk must:
Use official organizational accounts only
Be supervised or transparent, avoiding 1:1 private conversations
Avoid emojis, affectionate symbols, or ambiguous language
Not occur outside normal working hours unless justified by urgent need
Be recorded or logged if possible for accountability
8. Contractors, Partners, and Third Parties
All contractors, consultants, and external partners must:
Provide a copy of their safeguarding policy and code of conduct
Sign the Center’s Safeguarding Code Agreement
Show evidence of safeguarding training and relevant qualifications
Carry liability insurance appropriate to their role
Undergo safeguarding due diligence prior to engagement
9. Reporting Procedures
If you have a safeguarding concern:
Recognize the signs of harm or vulnerability
Respond calmly and do not make promises of confidentiality you cannot keep
Report concerns promptly to the Center’s Safeguarding Lead, via email at admin@scienceofviolence.org
Record the concern in writing (use factual language; avoid assumptions)
Remedy by supporting the individual and ensuring appropriate follow-up
All concerns will be treated seriously and sensitively. Whistleblowers are protected.
10. External Reporting (if applicable)
Depending on jurisdiction, the Center will comply with mandatory reporting obligations. We maintain jurisdiction-specific protocols (e.g. USA, Canada, Mexico) informed by guidance from child welfare authorities.
11. Oversight and Review
The Center’s Safeguarding Lead is responsible for ensuring implementation, training, and investigation procedures
This policy is reviewed annually or when major changes in law or best practice occur
An incident log is maintained and reviewed by the Board Safeguarding Subcommittee
12. Related Policies
Code of Conduct
Research Ethics Policy
Whistleblowing Policy
Data Protection and Confidentiality Policy
Risk Assessment Framework
Safeguarding Concern Reporting Form
Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) Policy Statement
I. Purpose
This Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) Policy is established to promote objectivity in research by ensuring that financial conflicts of interest of Investigators are identified, disclosed, reviewed, and managed, reduced, or eliminated in accordance with the regulatory requirements set forth in 42 CFR Part 50, Subpart F (“Promoting Objectivity in Research”). This policy applies to all research funded, or proposed to be funded, by the Public Health Service (PHS), including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), through grants and cooperative agreements.
II. Scope
This policy applies to all employees, faculty, staff, students, and other affiliated personnel of the Center for Violence Prevention Research, Inc. (“the Institution”) who are responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of research funded or proposed to be funded by the PHS (“Investigators”). This policy also governs the Institution's oversight of subrecipients performing PHS-funded work under a subaward from the Institution, as described in Section VIII.
III. Definitions
• Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI): A Significant Financial Interest (SFI) that the Institution reasonably determines could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct, or reporting of PHS-funded research.
• Investigator: The project director or principal investigator and any other person, regardless of title or position, who is responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of PHS-funded research, including collaborators and consultants.
• Significant Financial Interest (SFI): A financial interest consisting of one or more of the following, if related to the Investigator's institutional responsibilities, that reasonably appears to meet the thresholds set forth in 42 CFR 50.603:
◦ Publicly traded entities: the aggregate value of any remuneration received from the entity in the prior twelve months and the value of any equity interest as of the date of disclosure, when aggregated, exceeds $5,000;
◦ Non-publicly traded entities: the aggregate value of any remuneration received in the prior twelve months exceeds $5,000, or when the Investigator (or spouse/dependent children) holds any equity interest;
◦ Intellectual property rights and interests, upon receipt of income related to such rights and interests;
◦ Reimbursed or sponsored travel related to the Investigator's institutional responsibilities (excluding travel reimbursed or sponsored by a Federal, state, or local government agency, U.S. institution of higher education, or affiliated research institute, academic teaching hospital, or medical center);
• SFI does not include the exclusions identified in 42 CFR 50.603 (e.g., salary from the Institution, income from seminars/lectures sponsored by a Federal, state, or local government agency, an institution of higher education, or certain nonprofit entities).
• Institutional Responsibilities: An Investigator's professional responsibilities on behalf of the Institution, including activities such as research, research consultation, teaching, professional practice, institutional committee membership, and service on panels.
• Designated Official: The individual(s) or committee authorized by the Institution to solicit and review disclosures of SFIs and to make determinations regarding the existence and management of FCOIs. For purposes of this policy, the Designated Official is the Chief Operating Officer.
IV. Investigator Training Requirements
Consistent with 42 CFR 50.604(b), each Investigator must complete FCOI training prior to engaging in PHS-funded research, and at least every four years thereafter. An Investigator must also complete training immediately under any of the following circumstances:
1. The Institution revises this policy in a manner that affects the requirements applicable to Investigators;
2. An Investigator is new to the Institution; or
3. The Institution finds that an Investigator is not in compliance with this policy or with a management plan.
The Designated Official is responsible for maintaining records of training completion for all Investigators.
V. Disclosure Requirements
Each Investigator must submit to the Designated Official a disclosure of all SFIs (including those of the Investigator's spouse and dependent children) that reasonably appear to be related to the Investigator's institutional responsibilities. Disclosures must be updated:
• At the time of application for PHS-funded research;
• At least annually, during the period of the award, on a date designated by the Institution;
• Within thirty (30) days of discovering or acquiring a new SFI (e.g., through purchase, marriage, or inheritance).
Disclosures must include, at a minimum, the entity in which the SFI is held, the nature of the financial interest (e.g., equity, consulting fees, honoraria, intellectual property rights), and the approximate dollar value or a value range where an exact figure is not readily available.
VI. Institutional Review, Determination, and Management of FCOIs
Upon receipt of a disclosure, the Designated Official will review the disclosed SFI in light of the proposed or ongoing research to determine whether it is related to PHS-funded research and, if so, whether it constitutes an FCOI. This determination will be completed and documented:
• Prior to the Institution's expenditure of any funds under a PHS-funded award, for disclosures submitted at the time of application; and
• Within sixty (60) days of receipt of a disclosure of a new or newly discovered SFI submitted during the period of the award.
If the Designated Official determines that an FCOI exists, the Institution will, prior to any further expenditure of funds under the award, develop a written management plan that specifies the actions taken or to be taken to manage, reduce, or eliminate the FCOI. In accordance with 42 CFR 50.605(a)(1)-(6), the Institution's review will document, at a minimum: (1) the projected role and extent of the Investigator's participation in the PHS-funded research; (2) the nature, extent, and value of the SFI; (3) the relationship of the SFI to the PHS-funded research; and (4) the potential effects of the SFI on the design, conduct, or reporting of the research. Management strategies may include, but are not limited to:
• Public disclosure of the FCOI;
• Monitoring of the research by independent reviewers;
• Modification of the research plan;
• Change of personnel or personnel responsibilities, or disqualification from participation in all or a portion of the research;
• Reduction or elimination of the SFI (e.g., divestiture); or
• Severance of the relationship that creates the SFI.
The Designated Official is responsible for the ongoing monitoring of Investigator compliance with any management plan for the duration of the PHS-funded project.
VII. Reporting Requirements to NIH
The Institution will provide an FCOI report to the PHS-awarding component prior to the expenditure of any funds under the award, and will update the report annually for the duration of the project period, as required by 42 CFR 50.605(b) and 50.604(h). The Institution will also submit a report within sixty (60) days of the Institution's determination of a newly identified FCOI for an Investigator on active PHS-funded research. Each FCOI report will include, at a minimum, sufficient information for NIH to understand the nature and extent of the conflict, as described in 42 CFR 50.605(a)(3)(iii), including: the SFI itself; a description of its relationship to the PHS-funded research; the basis for the Institution's determination that the SFI conflicts with the research; a description of the key elements of the management plan; and, if applicable, a description of how the management plan is designed to safeguard objectivity. Where a management plan is revised, the Institution will notify the PHS-awarding component consistent with 42 CFR 50.606(a).
VIII. Subrecipient Requirements
Consistent with 42 CFR 50.604(c) and NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 15.2.1, the Institution will incorporate FCOI compliance terms into all subawards, contracts, and other agreements with subrecipients performing PHS-funded research on behalf of the Institution. Prior to issuing a subaward, the Institution will confirm whether the subrecipient:
• Follows its own FCOI policy that complies with 42 CFR Part 50, Subpart F, in which case the subrecipient will certify this compliance to the Institution and report identified FCOIs to the Institution in sufficient time for the Institution to comply with its own reporting obligations to NIH; or
• Does not have a compliant policy of its own, in which case the subrecipient's Investigators will be required to comply with this Institutional policy, and the subrecipient will submit disclosures of SFIs directly to the Institution's Designated Official for review under Sections V and VI above.
The subaward agreement will specify the time period for the subrecipient to report identified SFIs/FCOIs to the Institution, sufficient to enable the Institution to comply with its reporting obligations to the PHS-awarding component.
IX. Retrospective Review
If the Institution identifies an FCOI that was not timely reviewed or managed — including but not limited to a failure by an Investigator to disclose an SFI, a failure by the Institution to review or manage an SFI, or a failure by an Investigator to materially comply with a management plan — the Institution will, within one hundred twenty (120) days of the determination, complete a retrospective review of the Investigator's activities and the PHS-funded research project to determine whether any PHS-funded research, or portion thereof, was biased in the design, conduct, or reporting of the research. The retrospective review will be documented and will include, at minimum: the project number, project title, and Investigator; the SFI; a description of the noncompliance; a description and chronology of the events leading to the noncompliance; and a determination of whether the noncompliance biased the research. If bias is found, the Institution will notify the PHS-awarding component promptly and submit a mitigation report, and will complete additional interim reports as requested.
X. Noncompliance and Enforcement
An Investigator's failure to comply with this policy, including failure to disclose an SFI or failure to comply with a management plan, may result in corrective action up to and including suspension of research activity, removal from the PHS-funded project, and disciplinary action under the Institution's applicable personnel policies. Where noncompliance results in an FCOI that was not managed or reduced in a timely manner, the Institution will complete a retrospective review as described in Section IX. The Institution will notify the PHS-awarding component of any Investigator noncompliance with this policy that has biased the design, conduct, or reporting of the PHS-funded research.
XI. Public Accessibility
This written policy will be made publicly accessible on the Institution's website in a manner that meets the requirements of the NIH Grants Policy Statement, Section 4.1.10.
For any FCOI held by a Senior/Key Personnel that the Institution determines is related to PHS-funded research, the Institution will, prior to the expenditure of funds and within five (5) business days of any update, make the following information publicly accessible, in accordance with 42 CFR 50.605(a)(5)(i)-(iv):
• The Investigator's name;
• The Investigator's title and role with respect to the research project;
• The name of the entity in which the SFI is held;
• The nature of the SFI and, at the Institution's discretion, the approximate dollar value (or a statement that the interest is one whose value cannot be readily determined, or a value range: $0–$4,999; $5,000–$9,999; $10,000–$19,999; amounts between $20,000 and $100,000 by increments of $20,000; or amounts above $100,000 by increments of $50,000).
This information will be posted via a publicly accessible institutional website or made available within five (5) business days of a written request.
XII. Clinical Research
For any clinical research project funded in whole or in part by PHS funds, the Institution will, consistent with 42 CFR 50.606(c), publicly disclose identified FCOIs of Senior/Key Personnel via a publicly accessible website or other publicly accessible means within the required timeframe, regardless of whether the underlying management plan was developed before or after the effective date of the applicable regulation.
XIII. Records Retention
The Institution will maintain records of all Investigator disclosures, FCOI reviews, determinations, management plans, and retrospective reviews for at least three (3) years from the date of submission of the final expenditures report for the applicable award, or, where applicable, from other dates specified in 45 CFR 75.361 for different situations, or until resolution of any government action involving those records, whichever is longer.
XIV. Certification
The Institution certifies that this policy has been developed, and will be administered, in full compliance with 42 CFR Part 50, Subpart F, and the applicable provisions of the NIH Grants Policy Statement. This policy will be reviewed periodically and updated as necessary to remain consistent with applicable federal regulations.
Questions regarding this policy, or to report a potential financial conflict of interest, should be directed to the Institution's Designated Official: Nadine Love, Chief Operating Office