Dr Andrea Hollomotz
- Position: Associate Professor in Sociology and Social Policy
- Areas of expertise: Disability studies; learning disabilities; autism; social care; vulnerability; disabled victims, survivors and offenders; sexual violence; domestic violence, self-advocacy; inclusive research methods
- Email: A.Hollomotz@leeds.ac.uk
- Phone: +44(0)113 343 7298
- Location: 11.18 Social Sciences Building
- Website: ResearchGate | Qualitative research to understand the support needs of disabled adult victim-survivors of rape and sexual violence
Profile
I came to academia from a social work and social care background and I am passionate about research that can have real world impact.
My work focuses on the sociological study of disability and interpersonal violence and it fuses disability studies with the study of crime and criminology. I explore how and why disabled people are being targeted and subjected to violence and dehumanising treatment and what we can do to end violence.
I have recently lead a Ministry of Justice funded qualitative research project that aims to understand the support needs of disabled adult victim-survivors of rape and sexual violence. You can access the final report here. There is also an Easy Read version.
Research interests
My PhD focussed on learning disabilities and sexual ‘vulnerability’. I have argued that the way we often treat people with learning disabilities strips them of autonomy and life and learning experiences that would enable them to become better equipped at identifying (sexual) intrusions and initiating their own safeguarding.
Hereafter I conducted an ESRC funded project on people with learning disabilities who have sexually offended. The majority of these individuals have themselves been severely traumatised in earlier life, long before they started hurting others. My aspiration is to enable a deeper understanding of the needs of those who have been hurt and those who hurt others, to inform service responses that can help to break the circle of offending, as well as to enable healing and recovery from interpersonal violence. I also aim to inspire upstream thinking about social change that can help to reduce disabled people’s increased risk to experience or commit interpersonal violence. A briefing paper about planning services for people with learning disabilities and/or autism who sexually offend can be accessed here.
To engage “vulnerable” populations in research about “sensitive” topics I have to be imaginative in my approach to research methods and methodology and I am passionate about passing this knowledge on to our students through undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
In 2021-22 I have been working on a review of the evidence based on the lived experience of disabled people in the UK for the Cabinet Office’s Disability Unit with Prof Mark Priestley and in partnership with Disability Rights UK.
In 2022 I became a Fair Access to Justice Institute fellow. The Institute brings together criminal justice and disability rights experts, and leading practitioners and advocates from around the world.
PhD Supervision
I am interested in supervising students in a broad range of topics. My expertise lies with disability studies, sexual and interpersonal violence, sex and sexuality and inclusive and creative research methods. I am currently at capacity and will only accept applications from exceptional candidates close to my own research interests.
<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Any research projects I'm currently working on will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>Student education
I am Teaching Assistant manager in the school of Sociology & Social Policy. This means that I provide support and guidance to postgraduate research students (PGRs) who are engaged in teaching. I am always driven to improve the quality of the support we can offer to our PGRs with the aim to further enhance the student experience for both, the PGRs and the undergraduate students whom they teach.
I am joined module leader for SLSP2010 Sociology and Social Policy Research Methods. I also teach sessions on SLSP5301M Research Strategy & Design, SLSP2020 Crime, Law & Regulation, SLSP2040 Disability Studies: An Introduction. My guest contributions to other modules usually entail a strong focus on disability studies.
Research groups and institutes
- Centre for Disability Studies