Petra J. Brzank, Dr. P.H., MPH, is a sociologist and doctor of health sciences, professor of sociology and social research methods at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences since 2016, and executive board member of the Institute of Social Medicine, Rehabilitation Sciences and Health Services Research at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. Professional background: Research associate at the Institute for Health Sciences at the TU Berlin, where she conducted accompanying research for S.I.G.N.A.L., the first pilot project to improve the health care of women affected by violence at the Charité Berlin (2000 - 2007), as well as at the University of Applied Sciences Fulda (2007 - 2012), where she was a member of the working group on health protection in cases of interpersonal violence, doctoral thesis on the help-seeking behavior of women affected by violence, visiting researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the Gender Violence & Health Centre of Charlotte Watts (2012 - 2013). Co-founder of and collaborator in the Office for Refugee Medical Assistance Berlin (1995 - 2002). Her foci are violence and health, particularly among women, social determinants of health, and gender-sensitive research methods.