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Newsletter: February 2025
Welcome to the Justice & Violence Studies @ Exeter Research Network newsletter
Thank you for being a valued member of the Network! We'd love to hear about your latest projects, publications, events, or any support you need. Just email justice-violencestudies@exeter.ac.uk
Contents:
OPPORTUNITIES | EVENTS | NEWS
Read on to find out more about: our J&V Network Research in Progress Seminar this Wednesday, building stronger links between policy and academia, a call for research updates from the Ministry of Justice, funding for impact grant applications, CIHGS Holocaust & Genocide Studies Events, Profiles and WorkTribe Network tagging and more.
OPPORTUNITIES
Building Stronger Links Between Policy and Academia: An Invitation to Collaborate
Jenny Jurga is a Community Safety Policy Officer at Devon County Council. Her team work in crime and violence prevention in areas such as: interpersonal and gender-based violence, youth crime and violence, hate-related issues, radicalisation and extremism. They operate across sectors, collaborating with local government, healthcare, policing, voluntary sector partners and more.
She is looking to connect with any network members interested in exploring opportunities for collaboration and to strengthen the relationship between her team and academic research, ensuring that evidence-based insights shape strategy and service delivery.
Upcoming opportunities for involvement include the recommissioning of a Domestic Abuse Service, featuring an integrated model with a single-entry gateway, and responding to the Serious Violence Duty. If you're interested in collaborating or hearing more, please contact Jenny jenny.jurga@devon.gov.uk
Call for Research Updates: Ministry of Justice Evidence and Partnerships Hub
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Evidence and Partnerships Hub seeks to strengthen its knowledge of external research by gathering newsletters and dissemination materials from universities and research centres. These updates, which share information on new projects, recent publications, and events, are of great interest to MoJ analytical colleagues in the Analysis Directorate.
If your department produces newsletters or similar outputs showcasing evidence and research, we encourage you to share them. Please contact the Hub via Evidence_partnerships@justice.gov.uk to contribute to this valuable initiative. Together, we can build a stronger evidence base for justice policy and practice.
Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Inquiry- call for evidence
An estimated one in five women experience sexual assault or attempted assault in their lifetime, with one in twelve affected by violence against women and girls (VAWG) annually. The true scale is likely far greater.
To address this, the Government launched its Tackling VAWG strategy in 2021, followed by the Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan in 2022. The new government has committed to halving VAWG in a decade through its Safer Streets mission, aiming to reduce serious harm and restore public confidence in policing and justice.
Despite these efforts, police-recorded VAWG-related crimes surged by 37% between 2018 and 2023, with over one million incidents recorded in 2022/23—representing 20% of all crime.
In 2025, the National Audit Office (NAO) will review the Home Office’s progress on implementing these strategies. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will question senior officials on priorities and prevention measures.
Those wishing to submit written evidence should review the submission guidelines. The Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere.
Funding for Impact, Grant Applications and Beyond
The Impact@Exeter team are excited to announce the launch of Funding for Impact: Grant Applications and Beyond, their latest Impact Essentials training. This pre-recorded module is now available here and on the Impact@Exeter section of the RIME SharePoint site.
This 70-minute training, delivered in bite-sized sections, explores the impact funding landscape, strategies for securing funds, and tips for writing compelling, impact-focused proposals. It also dispels common funding myths and highlights how to include evaluation and evidence activities.
Perfect for all career stages, this flexible resource is designed for self-paced learning. Access the training and resources here on the Impact@Exeter area of the RIME SharePoint site.
PIVOT-RP
PIVOT-RP is a funding database. It can help you to access over 35,000 funding opportunities and £101.56 billion in available funding.
Create your user account today at pivot.proquest.com and streamline your research funding journey. Further information on how to use PIVOT RP can be found here.
EVENTS
Opportunities to share your Research In Progress
Wednesday 5th February 2025 2:30- 3:30pm Xfi Conference Room 2 or online via TEAMS
The Justice and Violence Studies Research Network is delighted to share the speakers for the February "Research in Progress" seminar.
Arpita Ghosh, PhD, Lecturer in Economics
Title: Abolish the Police? Evidence from Camden, NJ (with James Rockey)
Abstract: This paper studies a 2013 reform in which the city of Camden, New Jersey dissolved the city police department and replaced it. While crime did fall in Camden following the reform, evidence from a synthetic control approach suggests that there was no additional effect attributable to the reform beyond the expected improvement given state and national trends of a general fall in crime. However, we do find evidence of a 50% improvement in clearance rates, particularly for violent crimes.
Wendy O'Shea-Meddour, Director of Creative Writing, Associate Professor
Title: Rewriting Coercive Control: a Critical and Creative Approach
Abstract: In 2015, England and Wales were the first countries in the world to recognise coercive control as a crime. An emerging body of research has since identified a 'perpetrator-bias' in legal and media settings, with key figures observing that 'law mirrors society' (Kennedy KC, 2018, 18). However, the potentially damaging stories we are telling about coercive control in British popular culture have yet to be analysed. By critically and creatively engaging with existing constructions in books and on screen, Wendy’s research aims to create new ways of writing and thinking about coercive control, with the larger aim of saving lives.
We would encourage you to join us in person if you are able and please complete this form to help us coordinate refreshments. Alternatively, a Teams link is above.
Research In Progress seminars- Presenters needed
If you are interested in presenting at a future seminar please email justice-violencestudies@exeter.ac.uk
- What are you working on right now?
- Need input, critique or friendly advice?
This series offers a chance to draw on the expertise and experience of fellow network members and gather insights to refine your research. Whether you are looking for feedback on early ideas or seeking advice on a current project, this is a perfect platform to share and grow.
Network Away Day on Wednesday 4th June- SAVE THE DATE
Come and join us on 4th June to hear more about the work of the Network and opportunities to share your research.
More information to follow soon and please contact us if you have ideas what you would like to see!
Upcoming CIHGS Events
The Centre for Interdisciplinary Holocaust and Genocide Studies (CIHGS), launched last year with support from the Justice and Violence Studies Network, is hosting a series of thought-provoking events this February.
Wednesday 12th February (11:30–13:30, Harrison 209): Broken Gospel? Christianity and the Holocaust – A lecture by Peter Waddell (University of Winchester), with responses from Chris Southgate and David Tollerton.
Tuesday 18th February (19:00–20:30, Exeter Mint Methodist Church): Evoking Genocide in Photography – A talk by Adam Jones (University of British Columbia) exploring visual representations of genocide.
Thursday 20th February (17:00–18:30, Amory B105): Destitucide and Structural Violence – Adam Jones examines the intersection of extreme poverty and systemic harm.
For more details, see the CIHGS January newsletter, or contact David Tollerton (d.c.tollerton@exeter.ac.uk).
NEWS
Profiles System – check your Research Networks ‘label’!
All University of Exeter staff and PGRs can access the university profiles system based in Symplectic Elements. One of the improvements is the enhanced information about the Exeter Research Networks and their members on network webpages. A reminder to please log onto Symplectic Elements to review your profile and check your Justice and Violence Studies Network ‘label’ has been applied for you. There is guidance available here which explains how to add any missing labels.
This label enables you to be identified (including by people outside the university) as a member of a research network (and will allow this information to be reflected on networks’ websites) but is not linked to your communication preferences. Therefore, if you remove this label from your profile, you will continue to receive communications from the network but will not be visible as a member outside the network. If you have any questions, please contact researchnetworks@exeter.ac.uk.
Starting a new project or applying for funding? Tag the Network in Worktribe
Tagging the Justice and Violence Studies Research Network in your projects on Worktribe highlights the value of the Network, supports its growth and capacity to provide more support to members. If the Justice and Violence Studies Network has contributed to your project, you or your team as members can tag it to showcase that support. Examples include receiving seed funding, discovering funding opportunities via network communications, forming collaborations through the network, or using the network for engagement activities.
Recognising network contributions not only strengthens your project but also enhances the visibility and impact of the networks themselves. Tagging Networks is very simple to do and will enable them to track the bids and projects which may arise directly or indirectly as a result of network membership. Very brief guidance is available here.
Thank you for reading our newsletter. Find out more about Justice & Violence Studies @ Exeter.
