The Intersection of Sex and Sexual Safety in Mental Health

This seminar is presented by the Melbourne Research Alliance To End Violence Against Women And Their Children (MAEVe)

At this final MAEVe seminar for 2019, Professor Liz Hughes will talk about her current programme of research which encompasses surveys and focus groups with mental health staff (in UK and Australia), a feasibility trial of sexual health promotion for people with with serious mental illness, and the current project which is a realist evaluation of the response to mental health and substance use needs in people who attend sexual assault referral centres in England.

Liz is a mental health nurse by background and worked in acute inpatient services and substance use services in London and the South of England. Her academic career has spanned almost 20 years and her research interests span broadly the intersection of physical health and mental health. This began as an interest in drugs/alcohol and mental health. More recently she has developed an interest in the intersection between sex and mental health. She has led an NIHR study which evaluated sexual health promotion for people with serious mental illness, and an NIHR funded study evaluating how mental health and substance use needs are identified and addressed for people who attend sexual assault referral centres.

She is currently Professor of Mental Health and Director of Research and Innovation in the School of Healthcare in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Leeds, a research-intensive university in the north of England. In this role, Liz is leading on a programme of research related to sex and mental health, as well as supporting research capacity in the school, and local mental health and drug/alcohol services.