Staff profile

Post Graduate Researcher

Biography

I am a PhD researcher in the Department of Sociology at Durham University and a member of the Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse (CRiVA). My research explores professional decision-making in domestic abuse cases involving dual and counter allegations, with a particular focus on how practitioners assess risk, interpret contested narratives, and identify primary victims and primary perpetrators in complex cases. Alongside my academic research, I have over 12 years of experience working within the domestic abuse sector. I hold a master’s degree in criminology and criminal psychology and have worked extensively in risk assessment, safeguarding, and victim/ survivor support services and perpetrator interventions. I also deliver specialist training which includes dual and counter allegations, drawing on both research and practice to support informed professional decision-making.

Research Area

My research examines professional decision-making in domestic abuse cases involving dual and counter allegations. Dual and counter allegations present significant challenges for practitioners as they can obscure patterns of coercive control, complicate risk assessment, and increase the risk of misidentifying victims and perpetrators. Drawing on sociological and criminological perspectives, my study explores how professionals across agencies interpret contested narratives, assess credibility, and make safeguarding decisions in situations characterised by uncertainty and ethical complexity.

Research Interests

• Domestic Abuse
• Dual and Counter Allegations
• Professional Decision-Making
• Coercive Control
• Victim and Perpetrator Identification
• Violent Resistance
• Risk Assessment and Safeguarding
• Gendered Assumptions and Victim Stereotypes
• Criminal Justice Responses to Domestic Abuse
• Qualitative Research Methods