Welcome to A/Prof Louise Dixon
The School of Psychology recently welcomed Dr Louise Dixon, who has joined our forensic psychology programme as an Associate Professor.
In early October the School welcomed Associate Professor Louise Dixon who will contribute to both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, with a focus on the MSc in Forensic Psychology Programme.
Louise is originally from the North West of England and received her PhD in Psychology in 2005 from the University of Birmingham and also completed her training to become a UK Registered Forensic Psychologist at this time. She went on to become a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at Birmingham until recently moving to New Zealand to experience a new challenge.
Louise specialises in the prevention of interpersonal aggression and violence. Primarily, her research has centred on the study of intimate partner violence and abuse and has a strong applied element. It has addressed issues related to aetiology, psychological risk assessment, offender rehabilitation, programme evaluation, primary prevention and policy change in this area. As such it has influenced practice and policy in correctional, policing, psychological, health and political areas. Her laboratory will study issues centered on interpersonal and family aggression and use both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Louise enjoys an active research profile and is currently funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to complete two research projects. Briefly these investigate i) the effects of prison visits on re-offending; and ii) risk assessment of intimate partner violence and abuse in England and Wales. She is also receiving local council funding to evaluate a Birmingham (UK) based treatment programme for adults who offend against their intimate partners and police funding to explore the experiences of victims of partner violence who come into contact with police services.
Other activities that Louise brings to Victoria are a recently co-developed international network that aims to provide a focus on male victims who experience abuse from a female intimate partner. A Wiley-Blackwell international book series that advances understanding about what works in offender rehabilitation. She is a Fellow of the International Society for Research on Aggression and sits on the editorial board of international journals Partner Abuse, Child Maltreatment and Aggressive Behavior. In 2016 Louise will be the Deputy Programme Co-ordinator for the MSC in Forensic Psychology and the Course Co-ordinator for 438 (Theories of Violence) and 580 (Research Preparation). She will also be teaching as part of PSYC 121 (Introduction to Psychology 1) and contribute to other teaching on the MSc in Forensic Psychology courses.