Who are we?

Dr Theresa Redmond is a Senior Research Fellow in ARU's International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI), and RWN Chair.
'I have a long and varied career working in social care, education and research with vulnerable groups, particularly children and young people at risk of/experiencing child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE), and victims/survivors of CSAE, all of which I see as gendered forms of sexual violence.

'Working in, and researching, sexual violence can impact mental health and wellbeing, something which is generally overlooked in research and academia.

'Like-minded researchers of sexual violence and I set up the RWN as a way to change the existing culture regarding the impact of sensitive research topics on the researchers' wellbeing by raising awareness and developing better support.'

Dr Abbie Lake is a Research Assistant for Researcher Wellbeing in IPPPRI.
'While undertaking my PhD on victim and survivor experiences of disclosing sibling sexual abuse, I experienced first-hand the emotional weight such research can carry. Being supported by a supervisory team who recognised this and worked flexibly with me was instrumental, and it is this experience that has shaped my determination to advocate for more caring, responsive research cultures. I'm very proud and motivated to be a part of a group which is working towards making those changes.'

Abigail Wood is a Research Fellow in ARU's Centre for Military Women's Research (CMWR) and the Veterans and Families Institute for Military Social Research (VFI).
'I am a Research Fellow within the CMWR and VFI, working on projects exploring the needs of women in the military community.

'This work has included examining women's experience of military sexual violence, the impact on their mental health of sexual victimisation, and their experience of pursuing a sexual offence within the service justice system.

'Women's experience of military sexual violence is a repeated theme throughout the work of the CMWR, and its impact is often discussed in research projects with other focuses.

'This underscores the importance of proactively considering RWB to ensure researchers are well-prepared to manage their wellbeing and seek help if needed, regardless of the topic they set out to explore.'

Dr Lottie Herriott is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Policing.
'I am a Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Policing, teaching on a variety of topics around violence and abuse, including sexual and domestic violence, exploitation, and trafficking.

'My research interest centres around sexual violence, predominantly examining the criminal justice response to sexual offending in England and Wales as well as exploring victim-survivors' experiences of sexual violence in the UK military.

'Though I am extremely passionate about the value of this research, working on such sensitive topic areas can take a mental toll on us as researchers. I am both excited and proud to be a member of the SVRG and to be advocating for RWB support.'

Prof Tanya Horeck is Research Lead for Film, Media and Communication in ARU's Cambridge School of Creative Industries.
'I have researched gender and sexual violence in the media for over 20 years now. I define myself as a film and feminist media studies scholar and activist.

'hile my research has centred on depictions of sexual violence in film and media, more recently I have conducted collaborative empirical research into the topic of young people and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

'I am passionate about my involvement with the RWN and believe that it is imperative that we find ways to improve structures of care in academia (and indeed elsewhere). Lip service to such issues is not enough: it is essential that universities find ways to meaningfully rework their processes and structure.'

Dr Sarah Colley is a Dawes Researcher at IPPPRI.
'I am passionate about RWB. I completed my PhD at the University of Hull in 2023 looking at multi-perpetrator child sexual exploitation (CSE). As you may imagine, the data was often very disturbing, with descriptions of the rape, sexual assault and torture of children across England and Wales.

'Following my own experiences of dealing with this type of data, I established a support group for postgraduate students at conducting emotionally demanding research at Hull, supported changes to the ethics process and organised an event to learn from others, such as Dr Michael Guerzoni, who has himself described the vicarious trauma of undertaking his PhD research.

'I have a background of working with the most vulnerable members of our society, including children experiencing sexual exploitation, and I currently volunteer with the NSPCC. Presently, I am working on a project at IPPPRI which is researching self-generated child sexual abuse material with the Internet Watch Foundation, whilst helping to establish clinical supervision for our researchers.'

Prof Sam Lundrigan is Director of IPPPRI.
'As an Investigative Psychologist, I have spent the last 20 years researching the perpetrators of crimes of sexual violence including stranger rape, child sexual abuse and serial sexual murder. Researching the psychology of such offending has required immersion in difficult and sensitive written and visual material.

'As an early career researcher, there was little in the way of RWB support or recognition that researching traumatic events could impact negatively on a researcher. That is why I am so pleased to be part of this important University initiative.'

Dr Deanna Davy is a Dawes Senior Research Fellow at IPPPRI
'I have spent the last 10+ years researching trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation. The last 2+ years I have worked as a Senior Research Fellow at IPPPRI, researching child sexual abuse and exploitation.

'I am passionate about RWB, having experienced first-hand the detrimental effects that difficult interviews and data analysis can have on researchers. I'm excited to be part of the SVRG and to be playing a role in prioritising researcher well-being at ARU and beyond.'

Ashley Perry is a Postdoctoral Dawes Research Fellow at IPPPRI.
'I'm a Postdoctoral Dawes Research Fellow. My area of expertise is the intersection between culture and law in regard to sexual violence.

'A majority of my work is framed around research-based advocacy in the Irish sector. Specifically, I have engaged with victims/survivors of Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes, the Repeal the 8th campaign, and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.

'Whilst working on a wide variety of gender-related issues, I have always been acutely aware of my commonality with the individuals I research and advocate for, which is that I am a woman. Many times, I have seen mirrored experiences or relatable themes appear in my research and advocacy that has made me reflect on my own life and how I navigate the world around me.

'As women working in this area of research, we are often confronted with our own vulnerabilities that many researchers who work on other areas of crime may never encounter. Thus, the line between us as individuals and as professionals can become blurred without an outlet to safely explore our research through a personal gaze.

'I am profoundly grateful to be a part of a ground-breaking group that is considering the wellbeing of female researchers in this area and its potential to strengthen the research we endeavour upon.'

Tess Dieseth is a PhD Student at IPPPRI.
'I'm a final year PhD Student. My research involves investigating the relationship between early exposure to online explicit and violent content, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

'Researching this topic can sometimes take a toll on mental, physical and emotional health. Unfortunately, the consideration of researchers’ wellbeing is often overlooked and the impact of this could affect both the quality of research outcomes and the welfare of those involved. Acknowledging and addressing these challenges isn't just about self-care; it's essential for maintaining the integrity and quality of the research itself.

'By prioritising well-being, researchers can ensure they approach their work with the necessary resilience, empathy, and ethical sensitivity. I am very proud and excited to be a part of a group that is advocating for researcher wellbeing.'