CarolAnn Peterson, an adjunct associate professor at the USC School of Social Work, received the Humanitarian Award from Face Forward, a non-profit organization that provides reconstructive surgeries to women and children who have been victims of violence.

Peterson, who was honored at Face Forward’s 2nd Annual Gala for a New Beginning fundraiser at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, was recognized for spearheading transformative work in domestic violence.

“I feel very honored,” said Peterson, who teaches a domestic violence course at the School of Social Work. “Although none of us who do social work or work with victims ever do it to be recognized or glorified, I feel very humbled to have people and an organization honor [me], especially as it's the Humanitarian Award.”

As founder of Peterson Professional Alliance, Peterson worked with corporations to help them recognize and understand the impact of domestic violence in the workplace. She also conducts domestic violence training for government organizations, including the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, a branch of Homeland Security that prepares rural law enforcement officers and domestic violence advocates to be trainers in their own communities. In addition, Peterson is a consultant to the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Unit of the Department of Community and Senior Services.

She also served as a consultant to Futures Without Violence, formerly the Family Violence Prevention Fund, a national organization whose goal is to end domestic violence. Peterson was the group's representative in developing and lobbying for the Violence Against Women Act and in the Welfare Re-Authorization Committee at the national level. Additionally, she is a member of the state task force that creates the California state regulations for welfare and domestic violence.

Peterson has had a hand in several key pieces of California legislation regarding domestic violence, including successfully passing one of the country’s first comprehensive spousal rape bills, as well as making 911 domestic violence calls a priority and ensuring first responders confiscate weapons at the scene of domestic violence incidents. She helped overturn AB 363, which jailed battered women who refused to testify against their batterers, and assisted in writing and sponsoring AB 878, which expanded domestic violence restraining orders to include destruction of personal property.

Peterson is currently working on a domestic violence textbook for the classroom and is converting her course for the school’s MSW@USC web-based Master of Social Work program.