Epi Crim approaches to understanding and responding to sexual abuse
By Kieran McCartan
On Friday the 28th of June 2024, our partner, the University of the West of England held a professional workshop in Bristol on Epi Crim approaches to understanding and responding to sexual abuse.
A workshop on Epi Crim
The workshop was based on research activities that took place across UWE Bristol over the past 5 years, with colleagues from criminology, sociology, psychology, law, and computer science being involved (incl. Professor Kieran McCartan, Dr. Nick Addis, Dr. Helen Bovill, Dr. Paul Gavin, Dr Finn MacKay, Charlotte Kite, Duncan McPhee, Dr Jane Meyrick, Dr Chris Pawson, Dr Amber Phillips, Dr Cody Porter, Ella Rees, Dr Sarah Senker, Dr Zoe Thomas, Prof Philip Legg, Ian Johnstone).
Internally the research was supported by UWE internal funding through the Emerging Research Excellence scheme as well as other, related streams, and supported by a range of externally funded research projects, like the Prevent 2 Protect EU Horizon 2020 funding.
Over the course of the research they have had support and collaboration from external organisations (incl., European Commission, Circles Southwest, NSPCC, Together for Childhood, BNSSG, Avon & Somerset police, HMPPS, Thriving Survivors, HMP Grendon, HMP Leyhill, Office of the Regional Director of Public Health South West NHS England, SARSAS/Rape crisis) & academics (incl. Professor Hazel Kemshall, DeMontford University; Professor Sarah Brown, University of the Sunshine Coast; Professor Geri Ackerman, Cardiff Met University/HMP Grendon; Dr Maggie Brennan, Dublin City University; Professor Kelly Richards, Queensland University of Technology; Dir. Sophie King-Hill & Amy Adams, University of Birmingham).
The aim of the workshop was to being professionals, policymakers and academics together to reflect upon on the emerging Epi Crim evidence base influences regional, as well as national, sexual abuse prevention.
About Epi Crim
Epi Crim is a public health approach to understanding crime and offending behaviour. It states that when we think about crime, we need to do it along three axes, the socio-ecological (individual, interpersonal, community, and societal), the four prevention levels (primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary) and across the multi-agency domain. It argues that we need a holistic approach to understanding the underlying behaviour and that crime is as much a personal and behavioural issue as it is a social one. Therefore criminality, including but not limited to sexual abuse, can be prevented.
Prevention and response of sexual abuse
The workshop focused on a range of topics in the prevention of and response to sexual offending including, the role of trauma-informed practice with people convicted of sexual offence; interventions with populations at risk of offending sexually; the impact of treatment, rehabilitation and integration back into the community; how to support staff working with this population; the role of restorative justice in recovery from sexual abuse; and how we determine and measure success in the outcomes of interventions.
The workshop consisted of eleven 10-minute presentations followed by at-table discussions and feedback. The attendees consisted of regional and national policymakers and practitioners for children’s charities, violence reduction units, public health, police, third sector charities, prison and probation.
The attendees reflected on the multi-agency and multi-disciplinary nature of the prevention of sexual abuse and stressed a willingness to work together on this topic.
The event was stretched by professional artist Camilla Aubry who produced an infographic (see above) that can be used to highlight the main themes of the day. It is complemented by a series of vox pop clips from attendees on the relevance of the event for their work.
The next step in the research is a forthcoming book with Palgrave MacMillian, due out early 2025, and a series of emerging research partnership projects.