Researching Gender, Violence and Abuse

Feminist research on gender, violence and abuse has been an area of academic study since the late 1970s, and has increased exponentially over this time on a global scale. Although situated in a predominantly qualitative tradition, research in the field has developed to include quantitative and mixed methodologies. This book offers a compendium of research methods on gender and violence, from the traditional to the innovative, and showcases best practice in feminist research and international case studies. Researching Gender, Violence and Abuse covers: - The origins of feminist research, - Ethical considerations relating to research on gender, violence and abuse, - Working in partnership with organisations such as the police or the voluntary sector, - A comprehensive range of research methods including interviews and focus groups, surveys, arts-based research and ethnography, - The challenges and opportunities of working with existing data, - The influence of activism on research and the translation of research into policy and practice. This book is perfect reading for students taking courses on violence against women, domestic violence, gender and crime, as well as advanced students embarking on new research.

Nicole Westmarland is Director of Durham University Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse (CRiVA), where she is also Professor of Criminology and Head of Department of Sociology. She has researched a range of different forms of violence against women and is deeply committed to conducting research that can create real world change. She is Vice Chair of Darlington and Co. Durham Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre. She is the author of a number of books and articles, including Violence Against Women: Criminological Perspectives on Men's Violences (Routledge). Hannah Bows is Deputy Director of CRiVA and Assistant Professor in Criminal Law at Durham Law School. Her research focuses on different forms of violence against women, particularly domestic and sexual violence. Her recent work includes a national study of rape against older people, a national study profiling homicide of older people and a study exploring 'risk' in relation to older sex offenders and policing. Outside of the university, she is the deputy director of the BSC Victims Network, Chair of Age UK Teesside and sits as a Magistrate on the Durham and Darlington bench.

1. Introduction, Part I: Feminist approaches to research. 2. The principles of feminist research, 3. Ethical considerations when researching gender, violence and abuse, 4. Multidisciplinary and partnership working, Part II: Research methods. 5. Interviews and focus groups, 6. Conducting surveys, 7. Arts-based and creative methods, 8. Working with existing data, 9. Ethnography, Part III: Research praxis - Using feminist research. 10. Influencing and being influenced by activism, 11. Using research to influence policy and practice, 12. Afterword