Alexandria Vandenheuvel

Alexandria Vandenheuvel is a Sociology student at the University of California, Santa Barbara whose work focuses on domestic violence, institutional systems, and social inequality, with an emphasis on how policy is implemented and experienced by marginalized communities. Her research has been accepted for presentation at the Violence Prevention Research Conference 2026. Alexandria’s research examines enforcement gaps in domestic violence restraining orders, exploring how legal frameworks often fail to translate into effective protection in practice. She has also conducted independent research at UCSB examining how mindfulness and self-compassion can support survivors of domestic violence on college campuses. Additionally, Alexandria contributed to a collaborative research project on Indigenous law, where she conducted qualitative data coding to evaluate how legal frameworks and social conditions impact marginalized communities in Oaxaca, Mexico. This work revealed the significant impact of gendered violence within these communities, further informing her broader research interests in how institutions respond to violence and the ways systems can better support vulnerable populations. Her work is informed by both academic training and lived experience.