Dr Rebecca Zerk
PhD, PGCertHE, BSc
Research and Innovation Director
Department of Law & Criminology
Contact Details
- Email: reb15@aber.ac.uk
- Office:B33 Hugh Owen Building
- Phone: +44 (0) 1970 622519
- Twitter: @rebeccazerk
- Personal Website: www.dewischoice.org
- Research Portal Profile (https://research.aber.ac.uk/en/persons/826712f1-a1ea-4963-a15b-0a05388ad682)
- Personal Pronouns: she/her
Dr Rebecca Zerk is Director of the Centre for Age, Gender and Social Justice and Co-Lead of the Dewis Choice Initiative, which was recognised through a 4* REF impact case study. Her work focuses on victimology, violence against women, domestic abuse and safeguarding, with experience across more than 20 research projects relating to domestic abuse in Wales. In 2024, Rebecca was selected for Welsh Crucible, a highly competitive and award-winning programme supporting personal, professional and leadership development.
Rebecca adopts inclusive and participatory research approaches, including co-production and participatory action research, to ensure the voices of individuals who have previously been marginalised are centred within research, policy and practice. Her work is particularly focused on older victim-survivors of domestic abuse and abuse perpetrated by intimate partners or adult family members.
She has been invited to provide expert advice to the United Nations, Home Office, Welsh Government and third-sector organisations on violence against women, domestic abuse, sexual violence, older victim-survivors and domestic homicide. Rebecca also contributes expertise relating to domestic abuse-related deaths and regularly contributes to media discussions, including radio and news features.
- Director of the Centre for Age, Gender and Social Justice
- Co-Lead of the Dewis Choice Initiative
- Director of SEE (Survivor Echo Education) Training and Consultancy
- Director for Young Women’s Engagement and Development, Wales Assembly of Women
- Research, policy and practice development relating to domestic abuse, safeguarding and violence against women
- Development and delivery of survivor-informed training for practitioners and organisations across the UK
- Public engagement and knowledge exchange activities with practitioners, third-sector organisations, policymakers and creative partners
Rebecca’s research focuses on victimology, domestic abuse, safeguarding, violence against women and older victim-survivors. Her PhD explored the lived experiences of older women subjected to domestic abuse by intimate partners or adult family members. She was awarded the Audrey Jones Memorial Award for outstanding postgraduate research that significantly improves the lives of women and girls in Wales.
Rebecca has extensive experience of creating and disseminating research beyond academia, working collaboratively with victim-survivors, practitioners and creative artists to produce publications, short films, animations and podcasts aimed at diverse audiences. She has also co-created and delivered survivor-informed, research-led training to more than 28,000 practitioners and managers across the UK, helping to strengthen professional responses to older victims of domestic abuse.
In: Question, No. 9, 01.05.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
In: EnvisAGE, Vol. 17, 22.05.2025, p. 35-40.
Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
Contemporary Perspectives on Sexual Abuse: Disclosure, Response, and Treatment Considerations. ed. / Christian Williams; Angela Kaufman-Parks. InTechOpen, 2024.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
In: Journal of Adult Protection, Vol. 25, No. 3, 18.07.2023, p. 167-185.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2023. Paper presented at European Conference on Domestic Violence , Reykjavik, Iceland.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review