Westhampton Teen Undertakes Critical Domestic Violence Research

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — A Westhampton Beach student used the pandemic pause to shine a light on the issue of domestic violence.

As a Westhampton Beach High School sophomore during the COVID-19 pandemic pause, Morgan Donahoe decided she was interested in participating in a research project. Two years later as a senior, her work has been published in the scientific journal BMC Public Health.

“I’m very excited,” said Donahoe. “It’s huge that I’ve become a published author before going to college.”

The article, “Domestic Violence Calls for Police Service in 5 U.S. cities during the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020,” was accepted for publication following months of research conducted by Donahoe along with Dr. Jaymie Meliker, a professor at Stony Brook University’s public health program. The pair were linked through Donahoe’s science research teacher, Dr. Dianna Gobler.

Donahoe data-mined for months, sending emails and making phone calls to obtain information that she added to a detailed spreadsheet.

“It was a lot of work,” said Donahoe, who tracked down records of emergency calls from major cities around the U.S. to reflect the correlation between COVID-19-related stay-at-home orders, quarantine periods and domestic violence reports.

The work has inspired Donahoe’s future plans: She intends to study neuroscience on a pre-med track in college, the district said.

Donahoe is an accomplished student and member of her school’s National, Math, Foreign Language and Science Honor Societies. She also participates in her school’s Youth to Youth club and is a volunteer officer for the Westhampton Beach Junior Ambulance.

“I am so proud of her,” said Dr. Gobler.