Carolyn Ball
PhD Student
School of Psychology
Research Degree Students
email: balc15_11@uni.worc.ac.uk
Carolyn is a part-time PhD student in the School of Psychology at the ºüÀêÊÓƵ of Worcester.
Carolyn’s research question is: ‘How does the experience of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) victimisation influence men’s experience as fathers?’
Since the 1970s Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) has shifted from a private family matter to a public health concern. The gendered nature of the feminist movement against IPV has meant services have largely provided support for women/mothers and children. Male victims of IPV and abuse are under-represented in both research literature and in professional practice through a lack of services across the UK, however, national statistics demonstrate that 695,000 men in the past 12 months have been affected by IPV (ONS 2018). These figures cannot be overlooked, and services need to provide additional support for male victims and their children. We know through research into mothering that IPV negatively affects women and children, but this is yet to be examined in the context of male victimisation, therefore research is needed to measure the impact of IPV on fathering.
The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of fathers who have experienced IPV. This research aims to bridge the gap and highlight fathers’ experiences of IPV victimisation following a mixed method research design, using quantitative questionnaires to identify common experiences of fathering and qualitative face to face interviews to gain a deeper understanding of how their experience of IPV impacts on their fathering, the research will be analysed thematically.
Carolyn supervisors are Professor Erica Bowen and Dr Holly Taylor-Dunn.
In addition to working towards her PhD Carolyn works as an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) and as a Hospital IDVA and has over ten years’ experience working within the domestic violence field.
Qualifications
MA in ‘The Dynamics of Domestic Violence’ – ºüÀêÊÓƵ of Worcester, 2015.