Active Research

The dignity by design project: survivor-led system redesign

Needs of victims and survivors

Response to child sexual abuse

Research Topic areas

Government & policy responses
Justice & legal responses
Mental health
Therapeutic responses

Project Duration

Start: July 2023

End: May 2026

Geographical Scope

Nation-wide

Populations

Victims and survivorsWorkforce

Young adults (18-25 years)Adults (26-65 years)Older adults (>65 years)

Gender

All genders

Project Lead

Professor Susan Heward-Belle, University of Sydney

Project lead email: susan.hewardbelle@sydney.edu.au

Project Team

Professor Judy Cashmore, University of Sydney

Professor Donna Chung, Curtin University

Professor Rita Shackel, University of Sydney

Associate Professor Ruth Phillips, University of Sydney

Dr Alison Evans, Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing (WA)

Dr Betty Luu, University of Sydney

Dr Sarah Ciftci, University of Sydney

Mary Jo McVeigh, University of Sydney

Patrick Shepherdson, University of Sydney

Background

In partnership with survivors, this project will design, implement and evaluate innovative, place-based tools and resources to foster dignity-driven, trauma-informed, culturally safe and inclusive practice and policy development.

Aims

The project will seek to understand the messages that young victims and survivors have for practitioners and policy actors within mental health and alcohol and other drug services. Further, the contributions that participatory action research can make to policy and practice redesign and developments that better serve young victims and survivors who access these services will also be investigated. Finally, this project will examine the legislative, policy and practice barriers and enablers to dignity-based and compassionate responses to young victims and survivors.

Methods

Dignity by Design is a survivor-centred, participatory action research project that will build the capacity of policymakers, practitioners and service leaders to change systems that compound trauma. The project is a collaboration between people with lived and living experiences of child sexual abuse, professionals, policy and legal actors and researchers.

Significance and Dissemination

This project will generate new knowledge to better understand the needs of young victims and survivors. It will improve service design and develop innovative practice and policy tools that offer prevention and intervention pathways to protect and improve health and wellbeing.

Further Details

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Funding body:
The National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse

Funding budget:
$249,866 grant

Monitoring and governance:
This project is guided by oversight of the Project Advisory Group

Australian Human Research Ethics Committee:
This project is subject to ethical oversight by the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee

Webpage link:
https://nationalcentre.org.au/research/the-dignity-by-design-project-survivor-led-system-redesign/

Prevention of child sexual abuse

From bystanders to allies: a structural feminist perspective for supporting child victims and adult survivors of child rape and torture.

Emma Rees
Queensland University of Technology

Needs of victims and survivors

Supporting Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse: Rapid Evidence Reviews

Michaela Guthridge
The National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse

Understanding child sexual abuse

Ngagagee Ngulu Murrup Durra (‘The Ngagagee project’)

Graham Gee
Murdoch Children's Research Institute