Professor Aisha K. Gill, Ph.D. (University of Essex) CBE is Professor of Criminology [Email: [email protected]]. Her main areas of interest focus on health and criminal justice responses to violence against Black, minority ethnic and refugee women and girls in the UK, Afghanistan, Georgia, Iraqi Kurdistan, Libya, India, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen. Professor Gill is often in the news as a commentator on early/child/forced marriage, violence predicated on 'honour', and sexual violence in South Asian communities. She writes for mainstream popular as well as academic audiences. Her current research interests include domestic violence; coercive control; rights, law and early/child/forced marriage/female genital mutilation; 'honour' killings and 'honour'-based violence in the South Asian/Kurdish/Somali Diaspora and femicide in Iraqi Kurdistan, India, Jordan, Libya, Pakistan and Yemen; missing women; acid violence; child contact; child sexual abuse; trafficking; sexual violence and exploitation; sex selective abortions; intersectionality; women who kill; rape, trauma and victimhood in Black and racially minoritised communities; Covid -19 and domestic violence/abuse. She has published widely in peer-reviewed journals (see publications section).  Since March 2020, Gill has been involved in a Nuffield funded research on the effectiveness of forced marriage protection orders, in colloboration with University of Lincoln. During the coronavirus pandemic she has also been hands-on at the grassroots level in terms of raising emergency Covid-19 funds for refugee/asylum/migrant victims-survivors of gender-based violence - who have no recourse to public funds. To date she has raised over £89K for specialist 'by and for' VAWG services. In April 2021, Gill was appointed as one of the five judges for the CEDAW's People's Tribunal hearing, on women's rights in the United Kingdom. From December 2021, Gill will be working closely with colleagues from the University of Durham on a Home Office funded research project that focuses on better understanding the motives and patterns of perpetration of family violence, in Black and racially minoritised and LGBTQI+ communities. 

Professor Gill has been involved in addressing the problem of violence against women and girls (VAWG) at the grassroots level for 22 years. She is invited adviser to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) strategic support group on investigations and complaints involving gendered forms of violence against women in the UK (including domestic violence); member of Liberty's Project Advisory Group; member of Kurdish Women's Rights Watch; Imkaan and Chair of Newham Asian Women's Project (2004-2009 - aka London Black Women's Project). In October 2019, she was invited to join the Victims' Commissioner's Advisory Panel, chaired by Dame Vera Baird, QC. Gill has extensive experience of providing expert advice to the Government, Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Scotland Yard/Metropolitan Police, Crown Prosecution Service, and the voluntary sector on legal policy issues related to 'honour-based violence/abuse, 'honour' killings, forced marriage and female genital mutilation. She has challenged politicians to be more inclusive of racially minoritised women's voices in policy-making on issues of gender-based violence and human rights. In 2019, she was appointed Co-Chair of End Violence Against Women Coalition. 

Topics interested in supervising

I am particularly interested in supervising postgraduate research in the following areas:

• Covid-19, domestic violence in Black and minority ethnic and refugee communities, health inequalities, poverty, structural racism
• violence against women/crimes of patriarchy/femicide/forced marriage/ 'honour' killings/ 'honour'-based violence/female genital mutilation
• gender, crime and victimisation
• gender, human rights and/or feminist theory
• women's movements and policy
• policing, punishment and crime ('race', gender and social class)
• policing, violence and ethnic minorities
• domestic violence, criminal justice policy and law
• sexual violence and child sexual exploitation
• acid violence
• bride kidnappings
• sex-selective abortions
• intersectionality, victimology and women who kill
• coercive control and violence
• policing public spaces
• gender-related hate crimes/Incel based violence
• victimhood and agency
• virginity testing and hymenoplasty surgery
• femicide
• policing and domestic violence
• rape as a weapon of war

Graduate Student Supervision

1. Caroline Thurgood (Sept 2018-) British Muslim women, navigating the education system and British values (Director)
2. Kostas Gousis (2021) Immigrant Activism in Greece before and during the Crisis (2000-2015): Organization, Alliances and Litigation (Director)
3. Sundeep Mangat (2022) Investigation of sexual violence and rape in India, (Director)
4. Courtney Perlmutter (2014) Socio-legal interventions to address female gential mutilation in the UK, (Director)
5. Naheed Anwar (2021) An Ethnography of Female Salafi Converts in Birmingham, (Director)
6. Ahalya Bala (2018) Political Activism and Radicalisation Amongst Younger Generation Tamils in London
7. Trishima Mitra-Kahn (2010) PhD Sociology and Anthropology, Performing Feminism: Activism against Street Sexual Harassment in Urban North India
8. Yasmina Benhamou (2010) MA International Relations and Human Rights, A Critical Examination of Morocco's Legal Policies and International Commitments in Addressing Domestic Violence, (Director)
9. Funmi Johnson (2007) MA Equality and Diversity, The Struggle for Equality: The State and the Violence Against Women Movement in the UK, (Director)

Research Funding

Current

1. Nuffield Foundation Grant to investigate the effectiveness of forced marriage protection orders (Co-PI: 2020-2023)
2. Hertfordshire Police Crime Commissioner research on honour - based violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation (PI; 2017)
3. British Academy Small Research grant to investigate sex offenders and sexual violence in South Asian communities in England and Wales (JI;2013-2015)
4. Santander Mobility Award to investigate female genital mutilation in Somali communities (PI; 2015-2017)
5. HMIC research on experiences of victims/survivors of 'honour'-based violence, including forced marriage and female genital mutilation (JI; 2015)
6. Winner of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Outstanding Impact in Public Policy Prize, June 2015. http://www.esrc.ac.uk/news-events-and-publications/impact-case-studies/countering-honour-crimes-and-forced-marriage/

Grants, Awards and Fellowships

Professor Gill has received several awards and honours for her academic achievements:

1. Awarded CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for services in tackling forced marriage, 'honour' crimes and violence against women, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40291724 16 June 2017
2. Winner of the Economic and Social Research Council [ESRC] Outstanding Impact in Public Policy, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed34iNeGsOE 24 June 2015
3. Recipient of the Alumnus of the Year Award, University of Essex, July 2012
4. Winner of the Asian Women of Achievement Awards, Category: Professional of the Year, May 2011
5. Hind Rattan Award (Jewel of India) in the Field of Education, January 2011
6. United Nations, Division for the Advancement of Women Award to attend Expert Group Summit on 'Developing Good Practices in Legislation to Address Harmful Practices', Addis Abba, Ethiopia, May 2009
7. Economic and Social Research Council Scholarship, University of Essex, UK, 1998-2001
8. Economic and Social Research Council Scholarship, University of Essex, UK, 1997-1998
9. Police Research Award Scheme Innovation Award. Home Office, London, UK, June 1997
10. Department of Sociology Fuller Bequest Project Prize, University of Essex, UK, July 1996

Available for media contact about:

Violence against women/girls, in particular 'honour' - based violence, 'honour' killings, forced marriage, femicide, female genital mutilation, acid violence, domestic violence and policing, sexual violence, child sexual exploitation, Covid-19 and health inequalities in South Asian/racially minoritised communities.

1. BBC Woman’s Hour. Support for Black and minoritised women facing domestic violence https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000y5dq [26 July 2021] 
2. BBC Woman’s Hour. Technology - based abuse and the Domestic Violence Act https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000vz82  [14 May 2021]
3. Sky News. Can arranged marriages be modern? https://news.sky.com/story/off-limits-can-arranged-marriages-be-modern-12305594 [14 May 2021]
4. ‘Predator: Catching The Black Cab Rapist’, October Films [24 March 2021]
5. My London News. Sarah Everard and violence against women and girls https://www.mylondon.news/news/news-opinion/sarah-everard-violence-against-women-20256528  [25 March 2021]
6. Everyday violence is a daily reality for women' https://news.sky.com/video/everyday-violence-is-a-daily-reality-for-women-12242871 , Sarah Everard investigation and women's safety, 11 March 2021 [Sky News]
7. Quest for Justice for Banaz Mahmod, BBC Radio 5 Live, https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000mzgw [29 September 2020: 49.20].
8. The preventable murder of Banaz Mahmod, BBC Radio West Midlands, https://www.bbc.co.uk/spunds/play/p08rjwt6 [30 September 2020: 3.40-3.48].
9. 'Honour'-based violence is rife in Britain but victims have little support, The Independent, 30 September 2020.
10. Saudi Arabia's grim discrimination against women is exposed by Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun's startling bravery, https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/save-rahaf-mohammed-al-qunun-saudi-arabia-women-forced-marriage-thailand-a8715996.html 8 January 2019
11. Experts slam government as forced marriage victims made to pay rescue fee https://www.easterneye.biz/experts-slam-government-as-forced-marriage-victims-made-to-pay-rescue-fee/ [3 January 2019]
12. Freed From Forced Marriages, U.K. Women Stuck With the Bill https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/02/world/europe/forced-marriage-payment-britain.html. [2 January 2019]
13. Pair jailed over fixed marriage https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/996677/man-woman-jailed-forced-marriage-leeds-crown-court [31 July 2018]
14. https://mediadiversified.org/2018/06/09/preventing-forced-marriage-shifting-socio-cultural-attitudes-to-create-change/
15. Honour Killing. Shafilea Ahmed, Judge Rinder. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8435898/ [May 2018]
16. Forced Marriage, Australia Keynote debate.http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/saturdayextra/australias-first-conference-on-forced-marriage/9875820 [16 June 2018]
17. Victims of so-called honour-based abuse to receive more support, http://www.hertscommissioner.org/2017-06-victims-of-so-called-honour-based-abuse-to-receive-more-support [26 June 2017]
18. Countering honour crimes and forced marriage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed34iNeGsOE
19. http://www.esrc.ac.uk/news-events-and-publications/impact-case-studies/countering-honour-crimes-and-forced-marriage/ [June 2015]
20. BBC 3 Counties. Addressing sexual violence in South Asian Communities. 20 September [18.35] http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p031kgph#play
21. Nick Ferrari Breakfast Show. Forced marriage and the death of Nadia Menaz. 22 September 2015 [08.51]
22. Criminalising forced marriage has not helped its victims, http://theconversation.com/criminalising-forced-marriage-has-not-helped-its-victims-43351 16 June 2015.
23. Against all odds, Naz Shah is poised to give a voice to the women of Bradford West, http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/04/against-all-odds-naz-shah-poised-give-voice-women-bradford-west, 4 May 2015.
24. How do we bring FGM to an end in Britain? http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/02/how-do-we-bring-fgm-end-britain, 6 Febuary 2015.
25. Abuse going unreported in Britain’s South Asian communities, The Observer, http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/sep/19/abuse-going-unreported-in-britains-south-asian-communities-study [20 September 2015].
26. Rotherham abuse scandal: Is race relevant? Discussion with Mike Sweeney on BBC Radio Manchester http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p024wy09 [06:00:00] [29 August 2014].
27. Discussion of the fall-out from the child sexual abuse and exploitation cases reported in Rotherham with Shelagh Fogarty on BBC Radio 5 Live http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04f8995 [01:08:06] [27 August 2014]
28. The Asian Silence? Are crimes against women the last taboo? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01mmkz0, [28 November 2013]
29. Against all odds, Naz Shah is poised to give a voice to the women of Bradford West, http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/04/against-all-odds-naz-shah-poised-give-voice-women-bradford-west, 4 May 2015.
30. How do we bring FGM to an end in Britain? http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/02/how-do-we-bring-fgm-end-britain, 6 Febuary 2015.
31. Discussion of Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy's comments about government crime targets hampering child sexual exploitation investigations. BBC Asian Network, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04m45tk [15.15] 29 October 2014 [Audio].
32. Discussion of stand-alone forced marriage law introduced in England and Wales, BBC News 24 http://vimeo.com/roehampton/review/98345279/a400d3163b [16 June 2014] [Video]
33. Forced Marriage debate with London MPs Heidi Alexander and Angie Bray, Sunday Politics Show, http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03wwvc5/Sunday_Politics_London_09_03_2014/ [53:18], 9 March 2014 [Video]
34. The Asian Silence? Are crimes against women the last taboo? http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01mmkz0, 28 November 2013 [Audio]
35. London 'slavery' case, ITV Daybreak - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ-Bz4ZOcLI&feature=youtu.be, 22 November 2013 [Video]
36. Delhi gang-rape case [Nirbhaya]: Al Jazeera English - Inside Story discussion about the death penalty and sexual violence in India, http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2013/09/201391463254311817.html 13 September 2013 [Video]
37. Gender -based/sex-selective abortions in the UK, SKY News http://vimeo.com/74818807, 5 September 2013 [Video]
38. India needs comprehensive reform not death penalty to deal with violence against women http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2013/08/india_needs_com 26 August 2013 [comment]
39. Forced Marriage: Comment on the government campaign to alert agencies during summer holidays: http://vimeo.com/72253887; http://news.sky.com/story/1126868/forced-marriages-alert-over-school-holidays 10 August 2013 [Video]

B.A., M.A. [Distinction], Ph.D. (Essex), PGCHE

Completed

1. British Academy Overseas Travel Grant for 'Honour' Killings Conference in Canberra, Australia [2011]

2. British Academy Small Research grant to investigate so-called 'honour' killings in Punjab, India [PI, 2011-2012]

3. NSPCC Funded project 'Child Contact in the Context of Post-Separation Violence: Issues for Black and Minority Ethnic Women and Children' [CI, 2008-2011]

4. Forced Marriage Unit (Foreign Commonwealth Office) grant for 'Change Together: A pilot project to create informed choice for students facing Forced Marriage' in collaboration with Asha Project - Lambeth [Consultant, 2010]

5. Kurdistan Regional Government grant for the project 'An Investigation into 'Honour'-based Violence (HBV) and 'Honour'-based Killings in Iraqi Kurdistan and the Kurdish Diaspora in the UK: Contested debates on gendered violence, 'honour', ethnicity, nation and the quest to eradicate HBV' [JI, 2008-2010]

6. 'Together we can end violence against women and girls' consultation support (Home Office, Violent Crime Unit) [Stakeholder Consultant, 2009]
7. 'An Investigation into 'Honour'- based Violence (HBV) in the Sikh community in the UK (Metropolitan Sikh Police Association) [PI, 2009]
8. Economic and Social Research Council and Technology Strategy Board [JI, 2008-2009]
9. Roehampton University funded project by CRUCIBLE, Institute for Child Well-Being and Newham Asian Women's Project, 'COPE: Empowering young people to cope with life's challenges' [JI, 2008]
10.Home Office/Foreign Commonwealth Office Funded project 'Forced Marriage: Data Analysis of the Government's Forced Marriage Criminalisation Consultation Response' [PI, 2007]
11. European Commission Funded Project with the Berlin Institute for Comparative Social Research (BIVS), Berlin on 'Female Marriage Migration' [PI, 2006]
12.West Sussex Crime Reduction Partnership Board Research Grant for the project 'Needs assessment of domestic violence services in West Sussex' A. Gill [JI, 2004]

• Membership of the Editorial Board of British Journal of Criminology, January 2019 -
• Membership of the Editorial Board of Feminist Criminology - the official journal of the American Society of Criminology, Division on Women and Crime, 2014-2018.
• Women of the Future Ambassador for Asian Women of Achievement Awards, 2011- current
• Membership of the Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education since 2002.
• Membership of the British Society of Criminology.
• Membership of the British Sociological Association.

Subjects Taught

Current

• Gender Violence and Human Rights (Convener, 2004 - )
• Criminal Justice and Domestic Violence (Convener, 2005 - )
• Gender, Hate and Violence (MA, Convener, 2016 - )

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