14 July 2014 – Prof Chitra Raghavan, a Malaysian professor of psychology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, USA, gave a talk on Forensic Psychology: An Introduction and Specific Case Application in Domestic Sex Trafficking at the International Medical University (IMU)’s campus in Bukit Jalil.
Commenting on the talk, Prof Chitra Raghavan said, “The talk was a result of a request from my research collaborator and friend, Prof James Menke who is the Head of the Division of Psychology at IMU. The talk had two parts. The first focused on an overview of forensic psychology and how Malaysia can be a country in Asia that can be in the frontline for this. A case example was then presented in the next part to illustrate how this is applied, drawing from my research as an expert witness for the Special Victims’ Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, to give the audience an idea about forensic psychology. The talk drew an audience which consists of students and academic staff who are interested in the topic. Response from the audience was rich and stimulating.”
“I started to be interested in Forensic Psychology when I was hired by Yale to work on the issues of domestic violence. My interest in this just increased from then on.” Forensic psychology is the interaction of the practice of psychology and the law. Psychologists who are interested in this type of work can be found in various areas: prisons, jails, rehabilitation centers, police departments, law firms, schools, government agencies, or in private practice. They also may work with lawyers, defendants, offenders, victims or their families. 
“Prior to the talk, I had the opportunity to meet with the faculty members of the Division of Psychology in IMU and really enjoyed this meeting. It was such a warm and simulating meeting: a meeting of like minds and sharing of similar ideas.” Prof Raghavan who makes a home in New York City has lectured and given talks in Bali, Morocco, Spain, Brazil, India to name a few countries but notes that being back in Malaysia is truly fulfilling and hopes to return soon to collaborate with IMU. 
Prof Chitra Raghavan obtained her doctorate in Clinical and Community Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and furthered her post doctorate training at Yale University. After working as a researcher studying domestic violence and poverty at Columbia University, she moved to her current position. She is a professor of psychology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, where she pursues an interdisciplinary research agenda on intimate partner violence, intimate partner rape, and femicide. Trained as a clinical and community psychologist, the broader context of gender, culture, and power always informs her work. She is currently working on multiple projects examining sexual coercion, coercive control, and trauma. She has over thirty articles published in Violence against Women, American Journal of Community Psychology, Journal of Traumatic Stress and Journal of Interpersonal Violence. She has two edited books, Raghavan, C. & Levine, J. (Eds.). (2012). Self-Determination and Women’s Rights in the Muslim World. HBI Series on Gender, Culture Religion, and Law.Boston: Brandeis University Press and Raghavan C. & Cohen, S.J. (Eds.) (2013). Domestic Violence: Methodologies in Dialogue. Northeastern Series on Gender, Crime, and Law, Northeastern University Press.
