Maura’s Voice Research Fund (MVRF) at the Florida State University (FSU) College of Social Work and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) are renewing their partnership established in 2023 to perform research into the extremist elements of misogynistic subculture, including potentially violent incels, who continue their often-deadly attacks on women and girls in the US and around and the world. ADL-MVRF research and related publications will now be published and available through Maura’s Voice Research Fund and its website.
The research is driving new insights into the behavior of misogynistic violent extremists to support more advanced research, raise public awareness, promote the development of effective preventive policy, and, through its investigative component, help facilitate intervention to stop planned acts of violence.
“Renewing ADL’s partnership with Maura’s Voice Research Fund to pursue collaborative research in the field of violent misogynistic extremism is a crucial step in our organization’s mission to research, track and prevent all forms of extremism and hate,” said Oren Segal, VP of the ADL Center on Extremism. “Similarly to other partnerships ADL has established and strengthened throughout the years with specialized organizations, it will allow us to deepen our knowledge of misogynistic extremism and to benefit from both organization’s expertise and resources to combat it at a time when expressions of hate and violence are surging.”
“My daughter Maura, then a 21-year-old senior at Florida State University, lost her life in a shooting at a Tallahassee hot yoga studio in 2018. This attack also took the life of FSU Medical School Professor Dr. Nancy Van Vessem and wounded four other women. The perpetrator was a member of the hateful, extremist element of the incel subculture and targeted the victims for no other reason than being women. This was a crime of hate. Period,” said Jeff Binkley, Maura’s father and co-founder (along with Maura’s late mother, Margret) of MVRF. “We must realize that beyond the tragic and often preventable loss of innocent victims’ lives and the trauma and shattered dreams suffered by survivors…a hate crime against any one of us is a crime against all of us. Crimes committed by the hands of hate undermine the basic values of a free society.”
Since its launch in 2019, Maura’s Voice Research Fund has dedicated its efforts to counter extremist and violent misogyny and prevent violence against women and girls.
“Our partnership with the ADL, the oldest and most respected organization dedicated to countering hate, has advanced our ability to perform leading-edge research that not only produces new insights and information but leads to action in effectively countering hatred and violence against women and girls,” said Dr. David Springer, Dean of the FSU College of Social Work. “Florida State University and Maura’s Voice Research Fund are honored to work with ADL in this important endeavor.”
About Maura’s Voice
The Maura's Voice Research Fund was established by Maura's parents, Jeff and Margaret Binkley, in memory of their daughter Maura Binkley, a young woman who dedicated her life to serving others. Maura was a senior at FSU who planned to continue the course of her generous life by participating after graduation in the Fulbright Scholarship program. Maura's Voice Research Fund (Maura's Voice) serves to realize the vision of deepening the scientific understanding of and effective responses to hate fueled violence, and particularly violence against women and girls. Maura's Voice champions a unique and robust focus on researching and responding to the complex causes and effects of hatred and violent extremism. The Fund will develop knowledge for and test innovative approaches to forensic evaluation, management, treatment, and prevention strategies, as well as for sound policy development and implementation. More at csw.fsu.edu/mauras-voice.
About ADL
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at www.adl.org.