Events
UPCOMING EVENTS
OLDER ADULT MISTREATMENT: A FOCUS ON HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIOURS AND ACCESS TO SUPPORT, DR SILVIA FRAGA DOMINGUEZ. THURSDAY 23 MAY 2024 AT 1PM (GMT)
Webinar information
Older adult mistreatment, also known as older adult abuse or the abuse of older people, is a prevalent and impactful problem, yet remains a low priority globally, as evidenced by limited awareness and funding compared to other types of violence and abuse. This webinar will include a brief overview of the characteristics of older adult mistreatment, its prevalence, impact, and risk factors. After this overview, the speaker will provide key facts regarding help-seeking behaviours and interaction with formal services in cases of older adult mistreatment, based on the findings of her doctoral research and wider research in this area. Help-seeking and access to support will be explored from the perspective of older victims and those who support them informally, such as family and friends. Throughout the webinar, the speaker will touch on some of the challenges of researching and addressing older adult mistreatment, ending with some key messages and future directions in this area.
Dr Silvia Fraga Dominguez
Dr Silvia Fraga Dominguez is a lecturer in forensic psychology at Birmingham City University. Dr Fraga Dominguez’s research examines different types of interpersonal violence with a primary focus on older victims/survivors of abuse by trusted others, like family members. She has primarily researched help-seeking behaviours and access to the criminal justice system. Dr Fraga Dominguez completed a PhD in 2021 that examined the help-seeking behaviours of older victims and informal supporters, such as family or friends. Dr Fraga Dominguez’s research has also focused on financial abuse of older people and public perceptions of abuse.
To sign up for this event, please use this google form.
SCREENING OF DOCUMENTARY - 'SPENT: FIGHTING ECONOMIC ABUSE IN INDIA', WITH DR PUNITA CHOWBEY. TUESDAY 14 MAY 2024 AT 12 PM
Webinar information
SPENT: Fighting Economic Abuse in India
The documentary SPENT – Fighting Economic Abuse in India, explores women’s experience of economic abuse and their fight against it. As part of the project, 50 women across a range of occupations, class, religious and caste categories were interviewed. This film is based on stories of five women who took part in this project. The film hopes to bring out these women's resilience and spirit in the face of economic abuse. The film has won multiple awards (at the Folkstone film festival, the Cannes world Film Festival, and the Crown Wood International Film Festival) and has been widely covered in media nationally and internationally (see coverage here and here). You can view the film trailer here.
The film explores themes of domestic violence - viewer discretion is advised.
Dr Punita Chowbey is a Senior Research Fellow at the college of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. Taking a social justice and intersectional approach, her research is concerned with household economies, economic abuse, women’s employment and food practices among South Asians in the UK and South Asia. Her current research is exploring issues of economic justice and economic abuse in Bihar. She is currently working on her second film EARNED: Negotiating economic abuse through work. Punita leads the South Asia Sex and Gender Violence Group at Sheffield Hallam University.
To sign up for this event, please use this google form.
Past events
ONLINE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THE LAW: A UK PERSPECTIVE 8 MARCH 2024 1-2.00 PM
Webinar information
The hypervisibility, volume and impact of online violence against women (OVAW) – whilst causing concern – have not been met by substantive legal commitments to tackle this phenomenon. The UK Online Safety Act, which has ambitions to be a world leading legislation ensuring online safety, has failed to capture – and learn from – lived experiences of women who were subjected to OVAW. In particular, there is little to suggest that harms arising from OVAW are adequately captured within the law. Whilst there have been some developments in case law, the law of England & Wales has thus far adopted a narrow approach to conceptualising and punishing harms sustained by women online. This is supported by a narrow understanding of what constitutes ‘harmful’ (albeit not always illegal) behaviours online and how OVAW is positioned within these legal categories. The paper argues that such an approach is symptomatic of the broader issue of marginalisation of women and their experiences in the context of law and policy making. In doing so, the paper draws on results of the first UK-wide survey (n=7500) on ODVAW (carried out by the author in 2023), demonstrating the wide-ranging effects of online violence on women and girls.
Professor Olga Jurasz
Professor Olga Jurasz is professor of law at the Open University. Professor Jurasz is a leading voice in the field of law & violence against women. She published her research widely, including two books: Online Misogyny as a Hate Crime: A Challenge for Legal Regulation (Routledge 2019) and Violence Against Women, Hate and Law: Perspectives from Contemporary Scotland (2022). She was the lead author and researcher on the first ever empirical project to examine the extent and impact of online violence on women in Libya (2021), analysing this phenomenon in the context of Libya's transition from conflict to peace. In 2023, Professor Jurasz led on a project 'Online Violence Against Women: A Four Nations Study' which is the biggest empirical study in the UK to gather data about societal attitudes towards online violence against women and women's experiences of such violence. In 2024, Olga received £7.7million to create and lead the Centre for Protecting Women Online at the Open University.
Professor Jurasz's expertise has been used by governments, international organisations and third sector organisations to influence changes in law and policy in areas of online violence against women, criminal law, online communications and State obligations concerning violence against women.
YouTube recording
WEBINAR: A STRENGTHS BASED APPROACH TO ADULTS RECOVERING FROM CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE - 27 MARCH 2023 1.00-2.00 PM
This webinar welcomed Dr Claire Cunnington to speak about her research on a strengths based approach to adults recovering from childhood sexual abuse.
About Claire: Dr Claire Cunnington is a researcher at the Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield, UK and a survivor of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). She is interested in interpersonal violence, inequality and stigma, with a particular focus on CSA and trauma. Her Wellcome Trust funded doctoral research asked adults recovering from CSA what helped and hindered their recovery. She is currently working on a Nuffield funded project looking at domestic violence and child protection. She has also made the film 'Flow' about CSA disclosure which was selected for the Birmingham International Film Festival. She blogs at www.clairecunnington.com, tweets @Cunning_Claire and is also on mastodon @DrC@mastodon.online.
Eventbrite page: here.
RETHINKING DOMESTIC ABUSE IN CHILD PROTECTION: RESPONDING DIFFERENTLY - 8 DECEMBER 2022 1.00-2.30 PM
This webinar focused on the Nuffield funded RDAC project.
Professor Kate Morris is Professor of Social Work and Deputy Vice President for Education (Student Experience). She is a qualified social worker, and previously practised as child protection social worker and as a Family Advocate. She is also a trustee of the Family Rights Group.
Dr Claire Cunnington is a researcher and a survivor of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). She is interested in interpersonal violence, inequality and stigma, with a particular focus on CSA and trauma.
Eventbrite page: here.
INTIMATE PARTNER SEXUAL ABUSE: "THE WORST PART" - 30 SEPTEMBER 2022.
In this webinar we welcomed Lisa A. Fontes, PhD, to share her work on intimate partner sexual abuse. Lisa is a senior lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and author of the book 'Invisible Chains: Overcoming Coercive Control in Your Intimate Relationship'.
YouTube recording:
INTERPRETERS, HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE PROFESSIONALS AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE - 7 JUNE 2022.
Event description:
This event was for Health and Social Care Professionals and members of law enforcement agencies who have worked with interpreters when supporting victims of gender-based violence or domestic violence and abuse. The focus group discussion involved:
the role of interpreters in supporting professionals and victims of GBV/DVA
the role of professionals in working with interpreters and victims of GBV/DVA
the factors affecting the provision of effective services to victims of GBV/DVA when langauge barriers are an issue
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE: PREPARATIONS OF INTERPRETERS - 31 MARCH 2022.
Event description:
Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) affects women in every community, culture, and country. Women who have limited or no spoken English language can experience further difficulties because accessing support and help from specialist organisations is often not straight forward. These language barriers can limit their ability to access DVA services. In most situations, they would have to reply on family members accompanying them to play the role of interpreters, making it very difficult to tell someone about DVA. Professional interpreters are expected to act as a bridge between the victim of DVA and relevant services to enable the victim to access support. However, research shows that many interpreters are not appropriately skilled to do so, nor do they have knowledge of DVA.
Attendees of this event discussed the role of interpreters in supporting health and social professionals and domestic abuse victims. They also explore barriers and facilitators experienced by interpreters while interpreting for the victims of DVA.
LET'S TALK ABOUT GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, TO CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY ON 8 MARCH 2022 1.00-2.30 PM.
This webinar was run as part of the relaunch of the University of Sheffield Interpersonal Violence and Abuse Research (ShIVAR) Network. The webinar aimed to reflect on the global problem of interpersonal violence on the notable day of International Women's Day. We invited some of our doctoral students to share their critical work on the issue. Presentations by:
Turki Alqurashi, on ‘Intimate Partner Violence in Saudi Arabia: Men’s Perspective’.
Moninuola Ifayomi, on ‘Issues and challenges facing healthcare professions (HCPs) while supporting sexually abused children’.
Holly McSpadden, on ‘Exploring Sexual and Gender Minorities Experiences of Sexual Violence and their Access to Sexual Violence Support Services’.
Mamunur Rashid Sheikh, on ‘Resistance or negotiation? Coping strategies and help-seeking practices of the women’s victim of Technology-facilitated harassment and abuse’.