Dr Em Temple-Malt has just returned from presenting at the Annual British Sociological Association conference at the University of Manchester along with one of our third year Sociology students and we caught up with them both to find out how it went.

Emma and Alison

Dr Emma Temple-Malt you’ve recently conducted research on breaking the cycle of domestic Abuse. Tell us about the research that you were presenting on and a few reasons as to why this research was of national interest?

Our study involved interviews with professionals who work with perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse and perpetrators on behaviour change programmes. During the interviews, we explored what was working, what needed improving and what gaps there were in service provision for perpetrators of domestic abuse in order to more effectively tackle offending behaviour.

Our research is of national interest for several reasons.

First, financial resources and funding for domestic abuse service provision has been steadily eroding due to budget cuts as a result of austerity measures introduced in 2010. This means commissioners of domestic abuse service provision are faced with tough decisions about which services they continue to fund, and they are tasked with funding those services that can demonstrate that they are actively ensuring that domestic abuse offending is reducing. While our research was specific to the city of Stoke-on-Trent and county of Staffordshire, our findings have a much wider resonance because these difficult decisions are being faced by commissioners all over the UK.

Our research highlights how a lot of attention and much of the meagre funding that is available for domestic abuse service provision tends to go to supporting the needs of those who are fleeing abuse and helping them to rebuild their lives. Many who flee abuse return to or form new, unhealthy and violent relationships. While we are not advocates for reducing funding to victims of DA, we do think that uncomfortable truths need to be faced about service provision in order to better reduce re-offending rates.

Second, our research highlights the problematic way that service provision tends to continue to be heteronormative and reinforce the traditional view that men are the perpetrators and women are the victims. This silences the fact that men can be victims of abuse, and that domestic abuse can occur in same-sex relationships and in trans-relationships; there is very little in the way of effective service provision for those who fall outside of the normative view of who is the perpetrator and who is the victim.

Third, perpetrators and professionals indicated that there were things that could be done to prevent offending in the first place and thus avoid the Criminal Justice System altogether. Every participant emphasised that education was a way to prevent and reduce domestic abuse. In particular, the need for ‘healthy relationship’ education within schools and looked after children settings to better equip young people to form and sustain healthy relationship and to identify unhealthy relationship behaviour and develop strategies to help them avoid becoming tangled up in unhealthy relationships when they are adults.

How common is it for academics to present with undergraduate students at such events?

Taking an undergraduate to present at a national sociological conference with an international audience was rare, if not unique. Alison exuded such confidence she didn’t betray any nerves and was a shining example. In the days leading up to the conference, we spent time rehearsing together for timing, which I think helped lessen nerves.

What do you think that undergraduate students gain from opportunities to work alongside you and your team in conducting research and presenting findings?

Working alongside staff in the Crime and Society Research Group, students get to play a central role in designing and delivering research that makes a difference to the local community and society. Students who are passionate about particular topics, societal problems and issues get the opportunity to work on full scale professional research projects. Designing research projects and researching particular problems stand them in good stead for working within the professions that they are doing research in or those who want to go on to be professional social researchers develop core competencies and skills and knowledge needed for these professions. They get to take research to the next level and learn the importance of all the hard work that goes into the design and delivery of research projects and also get to influence the final product. They develop key skills for researching and sifting out literature, writing and communicating key messages for different audiences and purposes.

Alison, you are a third year sociology student and presented at the conference with Dr Em Temple-Malt. What are the main things that you have gained from working as a research assistant on this project?

It’s been a fantastic opportunity to work with lecturing staff who are research active and to observe their practice and to learn from them. This has afforded me the chance to put my learning into practice, and under their guidance, helped me to develop my own research skills. It has driven my desire to take my academic studies further and it’s been a rewarding and enriching experience for which I’m very grateful. The three main things that I have gained are:-

1) Invaluable experience as part of a commissioned research project which gave me the chance to build upon my knowledge of social research methods, and put that knowledge into practice

2) Inspiration and direction for the next stage in my learning – I hope to study for a Master’s degree in Social Research Methods

3) Confidence in my abilities

Alison, how has studying at Staffordshire University helped you with delivering the presentation at a national conference?

My studies at Staffordshire University have given me the analytical and critical thinking skills that I wanted to develop when I embarked on my degree. My confidence in my abilities and belief in myself has grown immeasurably over the last three years and this is testament to the tutelage I’ve received. I’ve also had the opportunity to develop my presentation skills through various assessments this year which have been invaluable.

Alison, how was the presentation received?

The presentation was well received and with interest, and stimulated direct engagement with other academics.

Finally, Dr Em Temple-Malt, will you be offering similar opportunities to students to engage in professional research practice in the future?

Over the coming 12 months students should be on the lookout for announcements about opportunities to get involved in research projects being conducted by the Crime and Society Research group. I, for example am working with Paul Christie in the Drama department on a pilot project that intends to take forum theatre/drama into schools to teach teens to recognise unhealthy relationships and to build personal strategies to avoid becoming entangled in such relationships. My colleague Sarah Page is in the early stages of research involving adolescents on how to better promote breastfeeding and de-sexualise the breast.