Dr Andy Kaladelfos joins the Gendered Violence Research Network as co-convenor

This Wear it Purple Day, UNSW is pleased to announce that Dr Andy Kaladelfos will join Professor Jan Breckenridge as co-convenor of the UNSW Gendered Violence Research Network.

Andy (they/them) is a Senior Lecturer of the School of Law, Society and Criminology and has research expertise in sexual and gender-based violence, queer criminology, homophobic and transphobic violence.

"I am delighted that Dr Kaladelfos will join me in co-convening the Gendered Violence Research Network," says Prof. Breckenridge. "Andy is a superb scholar whose work is known nationally and globally for its rigour and innovation. They will bring a fresh perspective to the research agenda of GVRN and provide excellent leadership into the coming years." 

Andy currently leads the ARC Discovery Project ‘Australian Violence: Understanding Victimisation in History’ and collaborates with colleagues across various disciplines on the ARCDP ‘Responding to Sexual Harm: An Australian Historical Criminology Approach’ and a national survey into the LGBTQIA+ community’s experiences of sexual violence. Andy was the first trans person appointed as UNSW Equity, Diversity & Inclusion champion role, the ‘Gender Equity’ co-champion, and has 20 years’ experience in advocacy and activism on LGBTQ issues.

Andy is passionate about researching with queer and trans communities, recognising the transformative power of community driven research in creating solutions that fit their needs. Andy is also Vice President of the community organisation Trans Pride Australia, has been a sitting member of ACON’s Research Ethics Committee since 2020, and is collaborating with UNSW colleagues on launching a community of practice for more ethical research in LGBTQ communities.

“For too long, gendered and sexual violence policy and supports have not catered to the unique needs of LGBTQ communities," says Andy. "Given the startling rates of sexual violence experienced by bisexual women and trans people, it’s clear we must have community members at the table driving solutions that work for us.” 

On Wear It Purple Day it is important to recognise the disproportionately high rates of gendered violence experienced by the LGBTQ community. For many LGBTQ people, experiences of homophobia, misogyny and transphobia can compound to increase the likelihood and intensity of gendered violence. Including LGBTQ voices in research ensures that gendered violence research outputs reflect the lived experience of this important community. 
GVRN is incredibly proud to welcome Dr Andy Kaladelfos to the team and look forward to generating important work in the future.

GVRN is a joint initiative of UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture and UNSW Law & Justice.