Doctoral student AmyAnne examines justice system delays for survivors of domestic violence

AmyAnne, winner of the poster competition at the European Conference on Domestic Violence in Barcelona for her work on sexual violence among sexual minorities in Canada, shares more about her research and vision for the future.

AmyAnne standing beside her winning poster

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

My name is AmyAnne and I am a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba. I am also a social worker in emergency mental health services here in Winnipeg. I am back at school in a doctoral program because I truly believe that social workers are uniquely positioned to recognize important issues impacting people’s lives through the work that they do.

What is your research about and why did you choose to focus on domestic violence survivors?

My doctoral research focuses on survivors of sexual violence and their experiences. My work at this conference was on the unique experiences of sexual minorities, but my main focus is on the experience of survivors who choose to engage with the justice system after a sexual assault. This research emerged out of personal work experience with survivors, justice officials, and community agencies. I have seen the conditions that survivors are facing and know that change is needed at the individual and structural level. I am passionate about the work that I am doing with survivors in my front-line practice and am committed to conducting research that is informed by the needs of the communities impacted by sexual violence.

Do you have any advice for new researchers or doctoral students who are just starting their program?

In terms of advice for new PhD students just starting their program, I think it’s so important to hold on to the reasons that brought them to the program. When everything gets tangly and stressful, the passion that pushed folks to apply will help carry them through. 

What is your vision for the future and what do you hope your research accomplishes?

I would love to see my work result in practical policy changes that centre the experiences of survivors, who are often overlooked in criminal justice settings. The rights of the accused are important; so are the rights of survivors.