Research

Health and Communities Programme

How can individuals and communities best support survivor health and wellbeing?

 

The experience of modern slavery is often characterised by extreme physical, emotional and psychological abuse. For survivors, this can lead to a range of complex physical and mental health challenges. Within any given locality a complicated network of actors and agencies exist to provide support to survivors. However, what works, in what circumstances and for who is missing from the research literature.

To answer these questions, the Health and Communities programme focuses on the impact of individual and community vulnerabilities on modern slavery; how these can be mitigated; and the implications for support provision. Underpinned by a social-ecological framework, we seek to identify the wider contextual factors that influence health. Rather than taking a deficit view (what is wrong with someone) we seek to understand survivor strengths and assets – and those of their communities – to support health and wellbeing.

Our Health and Communities Programme combines learnt experience (experts from health, public health, social sciences and politics) and lived experience (people who have experienced modern slavery and human trafficking) to explore these complex issues. For example, we are conducting research into cognitive impairment, maternity care, mental health, and public health, and exploring survivors’ experiences of services. Through this work we will uncover how communities and individuals can best support survivors.

Lived experience is central to our work and our Survivor Research Advisory Board (SRAB) informs our work, from helping us to identify the questions that matter to survivors, to thinking through the most appropriate research methods to use and how best to share the learnings from our projects in order to make a difference in practice. 


Programme experts

Nicola Wright

Nicola Wright

Description
Rights Lab Associate Director (Health and Communities Programme) and Associate Professor in Mental Health
Alison Gardner

Alison Gardner

Description
Rights Lab Associate Professor in Public Policy and Administration
Mariana Crespi de Valldaura

Mariana Crespi de Valldaura

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Modern Slavery and Religion
Andrea Nicholson

Andrea Nicholson

Description
Rights Lab Principal Research Fellow in Survivor Testimony
Amelia Watkins-Smith

Amelia Watkins-Smith

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Forced and Child Marriage
Minh Dang

Minh Dang

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Survivor Wellbeing and Scholarship
Zachary Singlehurst

Zachary Singlehurst

Description
Rights Lab Intern in Health and Wellbeing
Habiba Aminu

Habiba Aminu

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Prevention of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking
Aisha Abubakar

Aisha Abubakar

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Development Economics and Social Inclusion
Blerta Ilazi

Blerta Ilazi

Description
Rights Lab Visiting Fellow in Employment, Recovery, and Mental Health
Toluwanimi Jaiyebo

Toluwanimi Jaiyebo

Description
Rights Lab PhD Student in Sociology and Social Policy
Holly Jones

Holly Jones

Description
Rights Lab PhD Student in Mental Health and Wellbeing
Zareeda Rashid

Zareeda Rashid

Description
Rights Lab Research Associate and PhD Student in Supporting Survivors of Honour Based Abuse and Forced Marriage
Kate Garbers

Kate Garbers

Description
Rights Lab Visiting Fellow in Policy Evidence and Survivor Support
Pete Waugh

Pete Waugh

Description
Rights Lab PhD Student in Public Policy
Nick Clare

Nick Clare

Description
Rights Lab Associate Professor of Geography
Vikki Barrett

Vikki Barrett

Description
Rights Lab Visiting Fellow in Maternal Health
Helen Spiby

Helen Spiby

Description
Rights Lab Professor of Midwifery
Sara Borrelli

Sara Borrelli

Description
Rights Lab Associate Professor of Maternal Health and Wellbeing
Laura Cordisco Tsai

Laura Cordisco Tsai

Description
Rights Lab Visiting Professor of Human Trafficking and Gender-Based Violence
Liz Such

Liz Such

Description
Rights Lab Visiting Professor in Trafficking Prevention
Catherine Fougere Masters

Catherine Fougere Masters

Description
Rights Lab Visiting Fellow in Survivor-Informed Repatriation and Reintegration
Liezel Longboan

Liezel Longboan

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Modern Slavery and Worker Voice
Back to the top

World-class research at the University of Nottingham

University Park
Nottingham
NG7 2RD
+44 (0) 115 951 5151
research@nottingham.ac.uk