Chief Executive of Women’s Aid gives keynote speech at unique conference

​Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, was one of several keynote speakers who attended the University of Northampton’s three-day conference, which aimed to explore the impact of violence in society.

Taking place between 24 and 26 June, the purpose of the conference was to provide an interdisciplinary and multi-professional context to consider the experience and impact of violence on children, families, individuals and society.

Violence is part of the daily lives of many people round the world. As a tool of domination and control, it impacts negatively on people’s health, mental health, interpersonal relationships, harms communities and produces a range of sociopolitical effects.

Other influential specialists who gave keynote speeches, included Liz Kelly, Professor of Sexualised Violence and Director of the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit at London Metropolitan University; Professor Ingrid Palmary, from the African Centre for Migration and Society, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; Arlene Vetere, Professor of Family Therapy and Systemic Practice Diakonhjemmet, Oslo, Norway; and Carlene Firmin, Head of MsUnderstood Partnership and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Bedfordshire.

Conference organiser Professor Jane Callaghan commented: “The conference offered delegates an opportunity to share knowledge and good practice. I’m supporting children, families and communities from one of the most pressing issues of our age – violence. We were delighted to welcome delegates from all over the world, including Brazil, Afghanistan, Syria, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Ireland and South Africa. This international representation meant we could explore how violence is experienced in different contexts, and could consider its global impact.”

The conference was organised collaboratively by the University’s Institute of Health and Wellbeing and Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice.

For more information visit the Violence Conference website or email violence-conf@northampton.ac.uk.