Dr. Elliot Ruggles is a sexuality professional and clinical social worker specializing in recovery from and prevention of sexual and gender-based harm. In his role at the University of Vermont, he works to coordinate university-wide efforts around the prevention of sexual violence, including:

• Consultation regarding best practices in supporting survivors of sexual, gender and relationship harm
• Educational interventions centering sexual and relationship violence (topics including but not limited to: healthy relationships, dynamics of interpersonal harm, intersections of types of violence)
• Program assessment and evaluation related to sexual violence prevention

For fifteen years, they have been working in sexuality and gender research, education and therapy in diverse settings both urban and rural, including with teenage parents, children sexual abuse survivors, medical students, and recently with college and university students passionate about healing from and ending interpersonal harm on campus. With degrees in Sociology, Social Work, and Human Sexuality studies, Dr. Ruggles takes a holistic “person in environment” approach to the structural issues that lead to violence and disallow fulfilling expressions of gender sexuality and relationships for all people.

Most recently, he was working at Brown University as a confidential advocate and violence prevention professional, providing support to students who had experienced sexual, gender and relationship harm on campus and overseeing peer education programs in sexual assault prevention and transforming masculinity.

Their dissertation research focused on the development of gender and sexual identity, with specific focus on those who defy social norms in these categories. He is a fierce advocate for queer and trans people and strives for anti-racist practice.

Read Elliot's message to the UVM community in the Vermont Cynic March 22, 2022.