On the 18th June 2025, we ran a webinar on "Normal trauma and abnormal diagnosis: The role of mental health evidence in sexual violence trials" where we welcomed guest speaker Dr Emma Yapp, University of Bristol. You can watch the webinar recording below.
Extra Resources
| emma_yapp_vamhn_slides.pdf |
Speaker information
Emma has over 7 years of experience researching the intersection of gendered violence and mental health. They have previously held positions at the Section of Women's Mental Health at King's College London, and later conducted their PhD in Criminology at Birkbeck, University of London. Emma's research interests are now focused on the relationship between medicine, psychiatry, and sexual violence; in particular, in bringing insights from critical feminism and critical disability studies to bear on these topics. Their work sits at the intersection of feminism, socio-legal studies, and medical sociology.
Emma's PhD critically examined how the interaction of feminist, legal, and psychiatric discourses shape the experiences, and testimonies, of people who have experienced sexual violence and identify with psychiatric diagnoses in England and Wales. This was an interdisciplinary qualitative project, analysing a combination of case law, legal policies, and interviews with people who identify with psychiatric diagnoses. The thesis demonstrated the ways in which societal stereotypes and norms concerning the relationship between sexual violence and mental health come to bear on sexual violence testimony, both inside and outside the courtroom. These findings were influential in both consultations on the effectiveness of legal policies, and in a feminist legal campaign concerning mental health evidence in sexual violence trials.
To find out more about Emma's work please visit University of Bristol page here or Powerful Perpetrators team page here.
Additional Resources:
Emma has over 7 years of experience researching the intersection of gendered violence and mental health. They have previously held positions at the Section of Women's Mental Health at King's College London, and later conducted their PhD in Criminology at Birkbeck, University of London. Emma's research interests are now focused on the relationship between medicine, psychiatry, and sexual violence; in particular, in bringing insights from critical feminism and critical disability studies to bear on these topics. Their work sits at the intersection of feminism, socio-legal studies, and medical sociology.
Emma's PhD critically examined how the interaction of feminist, legal, and psychiatric discourses shape the experiences, and testimonies, of people who have experienced sexual violence and identify with psychiatric diagnoses in England and Wales. This was an interdisciplinary qualitative project, analysing a combination of case law, legal policies, and interviews with people who identify with psychiatric diagnoses. The thesis demonstrated the ways in which societal stereotypes and norms concerning the relationship between sexual violence and mental health come to bear on sexual violence testimony, both inside and outside the courtroom. These findings were influential in both consultations on the effectiveness of legal policies, and in a feminist legal campaign concerning mental health evidence in sexual violence trials.
To find out more about Emma's work please visit University of Bristol page here or Powerful Perpetrators team page here.
Additional Resources:
- Bourke, Joanna. "Sexual violence, bodily pain, and trauma: A history." Theory, Culture & Society 29, no. 3 (2012): 25-51.
- Ellison, Louise. "The use and abuse of psychiatric evidence in rape trials." The International Journal of Evidence & Proof 13, no. 1 (2009): 28-49.
- What It's Like to Be Raped and Told You Can't Talk About It with Anyone
- Keep Counselling Confidential campaign win! | Rape Crisis England & Wales
- Gotell, Lise. "The ideal victim, the hysterical complainant, and the disclosure of confidential records: The implications of the charter for sexual assault law." Osgoode Hall LJ 40 (2002): 251.
- Alcoff, Linda, and Laura Gray. "Survivor discourse: Transgression or recuperation?." Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 18, no. 2 (1993): 260-290.
- Haaken, Janice. "The recovery of memory, fantasy, and desire: Feminist approaches to sexual abuse and psychic trauma." Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 21, no. 4 (1996): 1069-1094.
- Psychological Evidence Toolkit - A guide for Crown Prosecutors | The Crown Prosecution Service