Michelle Rawlins is an award-winning journalist, university teacher and MA Journalism Programme Leader at the University of Sheffield. 

She created this Google site to help journalists think about how to report on domestic abuse in a way that would empower survivors.

Michelle works alongside Sheffield Women's Aid and IDAS (Independent Domestic Abuse Service) as a 'champion', working closely with both charities to help create a positive relationship between survivors of domestic abuse and the media. Michelle is also an active member of the Violence Against Women and Girls Independent Advisory Group.

Before moving into higher education, Michelle spent 25 years working as a freelance journalist for national newspapers, magazines and digital platforms.  She specialised in writing articles about women and elevating their voices in a meaningful way to create positive change. 

Michelle has worked with domestic abuse survivor, Claire Throssell, since her two children, Jack, 12, and nine-year-old Paul, were murdered by their own father in October 2014. Michelle worked with Claire, as a ghost writer, on her book, For My Boys, which was published in October 2025, as well as represnting Claire in the media to elevate her campaign to change the law. Michelle was invited to 10 Downing Street to witness the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, promising Claire he would repeal 'presumption of contact' in the family courts, stopping any child being forced to spend unsupervised access with a parent or legal guardian, who is also a known perpetrator of domestic abuse.