ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award | Dr Laura Tarzia

Dr Laura Tarzia who received a prestigious ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award will develop an innovative website for women experiencing intimate partner sexual violence.

Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is common, with one in ten women in Australia experiencing sexual violence at the hands of a current or former male partner, boyfriend or date. Despite this, it is poorly understood and often shrouded in silence and stigma. Women rarely seek help for IPSV from health professionals, domestic violence services, or police, even when their wellbeing is seriously impacted and little is known about their use of informal methods of support.

ARC has funded Dr Laura Tarzia for the next 3 years to develop a world-first evidence-based, trauma-informed website (Beyond Silence) to help women name the abuse, provide initial support, and promote help seeking. Victim/survivors will co-design the website through a series of workshops and consultations.

Dr Tarzia is a Research Fellow and ARC DECRA Fellow in the Department of General Practice. She is deputy lead of the Researching Abuse and Violence program, a member of the Melbourne research Alliance to End ViolencE against women and their children (MAEVe) and a Fellow with the Melbourne Networked Society Institute (MNSI). Laura has a background in sociology, with an emphasis on qualitative methodologies. Her work focuses on domestic and sexual violence against women, as well as the use of technology as a strategy for early intervention and response.