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 Assistant Professor in Public Policy and Administration
Imogen Lambert

Imogen Lambert

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Cognitive Impairment and Exploitation
Aisha Abubakar

Aisha Abubakar

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Development Economics and Social Inclusion
Shona Macleod

Shona Macleod

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Forced Child Begging
Andrea Nicholson

Andrea Nicholson

Description
Rights Lab Visiting Fellow in Survivor Testimony
Liz Such

Liz Such

Description
Rights Lab Anne McLaren Fellow in Modern Slavery and Public Health
Minh Dang

Minh Dang

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Survivor Wellbeing and Scholarship
Amelia Watkins-Smith

Amelia Watkins-Smith

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Slavery-Free Communities and PhD Student in Politics & International Relations
Toluwanimi Jaiyebo

Toluwanimi Jaiyebo

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

Holly Jones

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Communities and Societies and PhD Student in Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mariana Crespi de Valldaura

Mariana Crespi de Valldaura

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Faith and Survivor Care and PhD Student in Sociology & Social Policy
Kate Garbers

Kate Garbers

Description
Rights Lab Visiting Fellow in Policy Evidence and Survivor Support
Zareeda Rashid

Zareeda Rashid

Description
Rights Lab Research Associate and PhD Student in Forced Marriage
Habiba Aminu

Habiba Aminu

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Prevention of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking
Nick Clare

Nick Clare

Description
Rights Lab Associate Professor of Geography
Vikki Barrett

Vikki Barrett

Description
Rights Lab Visiting Research Fellow in Maternal Health
Pete Waugh

Pete Waugh

Description
Rights Lab PhD Student in Public Policy
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
Juliana Rinaldi-Semione

Juliana Rinaldi-Semione

Description
Rights Lab Visiting Fellow in Slavery-Free Futures and Freedoms
Catherine Fougere Masters

Catherine Fougere Masters

Description
Rights Lab Research Fellow in Survivor-Informed Repatriation and Reintegration
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