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Summary

I am an Associate Professor in Cybercrime and Gender in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. My expertise is in online gender-based violence, online violence against women and girls (VAWG) and technology-facilitated sexual violence, which I have been researching for nearly a decade. My research projects, which include funding from the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the Home Office, and Ofcom, include extremist and misogynistic behaviours in manosphere and incel communities, and the role of technology in domestic abuse. I have published extensively in academic journals and magazines on topics including the online pharmaceutical trade, phishing, online research ethics and qualitative methodologies, rape culture, incels (involuntary celibates), and online misogyny. I am the author and co-editor of the books: Respectable deviance and purchasing medicine online: opportunities and risks for consumers Palgrave Macmillan, The incel rebellion: the rise of the manosphere and the virtual war against women Emerald publishing, and the Palgrave Handbook of Gendered Violence and Technology. I have extensive national and international media experience and have provided expert commentary for the BBC, The Guardian, The Mirror, The Independent, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Deutsche Welle amongst others, and appeared on BBC breakfast, BBC news, LBC, BBC Radio 5, Hulu, ITV and Channel 5. I regularly write for The Conversation and am an Editor for the International Journal of Police Science Management, a member of the editorial Board for the book series Crime and Justice in Digital Society, and Associate Editor for Criminology and Criminal Justice. I have provided expert evidence at select committees, All Party Parliamentary Group meetings, and the EU Commission. I have delivered keynote presentations at national and international conferences and practitioner events. I am currently the vice-chair of the Force Strategic Independent Advisory Group (FSIAG) for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary (formerly the chair for three years). I am the Chair of the Board and a Fellow of the Institute for Research on Male Supremacism.

Biography

I have an undergraduate Law degree, and Masters degrees in Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Web Science. I obtained my PhD in Web Science - Health Sciences from the University of Southampton in 2016. Previously I was employed at the University of Southampton as a Teaching Fellow in Criminology. I joined the ³ÉÈ˶¶Òõ in 2015 as a Lecturer before being promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2016, and became Reader/ Associate Professor in 2021. 

Research interests

My research focuses on cybercrime and gender and concentrates on the human interaction with technology and the human dimensions of cybercrime and cybersecurity. From exploring how people use the Web to obtain pharmaceuticals and illegal drugs, to the cyberthreats faced by the local community, harassment and abuse on social media, and misogynistic online communities such as incels; my work has contributed to the understanding of how people behave in online environments. My research utilises an interdisciplinary socio-technical approach, whereby gendered perspectives of cybercrime - representations and effects of misogyny/ sexism/ transphobia/ homophobia online are explored.

• Cybercrime and online deviance
• Gender and feminism
• Technology facilitated sexual violence and rape culture
• Domestic Abuse
• Online harassment and abuse
• Incel and alt-right communities 
• Propaganda, Fake news and online dis/misinformation 
• Dark web and cryptomarkets
• Online pharmaceuticals 
• Online research ethics 

Media availability

I am happy to take calls and emails from media on my research, and am aware of the need to
respond to journalists in a timely manner.

Interested journalists can also contact the University's Media and Communications team for support
and advice on all media engagement, including out of hours.