Toronto Population Network Speaker Series: Orsola Torrosi

POP in for an excellent presentation! The Toronto Population Network Speaker Series brings together leading scholars working at the cutting edge of population research. From mortality and health to migration, fertility, and inequality, our speakers showcase innovative methods and substantive findings shaping contemporary population research. Open to students, faculty, and anyone with an interest in data and population dynamics, this series is a space to learn, ask questions, and connect across disciplines.

Orsola Torrosi

Orsola Torrisi is an Assistant Professor of Social Demography in the Department of Sociology at McGill University. Her research focuses on the demography of crises and violence, with particular attention to family dynamics and sexual and reproductive health in contexts affected by armed conflict and disasters. Her work also examines how exposure to armed violence shapes other forms of violence, including intimate partner violence and obstetric abuse, and more recently addresses issues of measurement and data collection in data-scarce settings.

Consequences of Violent Crime on Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes

Recent research shows that proximity to violence can affect health and wellbeing even without direct victimisation, yet its implications for sexual and reproductive health (SH) remain poorly understood. This talk presents evidence from recent projects examining how exposure to local violence shapes SRH outcomes. Using data from Mexico, the first project shows that higher local violence is associated with earlier contraceptive use and greater provision of reversible methods by local clinics, particularly in areas of sustained insecurity.

The second project finds that exposure to violent crime before conception is linked to higher risks of stress-related antenatal complications and increased maternal mortality, especially among low-educated women. Building on these findings, preliminary results indicate higher rates of miscarriage and abortion in more violent municipalities, consistent with selective survival. This research highlights local violence as an important social determinant of health and provides evidence to inform strategies to protect SRH in violence-affected settings.

Upcoming events

• April 7: Mark Hayward – UT Austin
• April 21: Student Symposium
• May 5: Jenna Nobles – UC Berkeley