Connor Cameron

I am an SWDTP ESRC-funded PhD student. The current working title of my PhD is ‘A multi-perspective exploration of autistic victim-survivors of rape and serious sexual offences: Identifying vulnerabilities to sexual abuse and experiences accessing justice.’ My PhD aims to (1) identify factors which predict how autistic people are vulnerable to sexual abuse (SA) and rape and serious sexual offences (RaSSO); (2) understand the experiences of autistic victim-survivors of SA and RaSSO from multiple perspectives; (3) produce materials for the criminal justice system (CJS) that improve outcomes for autistic victim-survivors. The research involves five parts: a scoping review identifying factors contributing to SA and RaSSO in autistic individuals; a comparison of autistic and non-autistic individuals’ ability to identify SA and non-abuse in video simulations; two studies involving autistic victim-survivors of SA and RaSSO, their parents/supporters, and CJS professionals being asked questions concerning the treatment and knowledge of autistic victim-survivors of SA and RaSSO; and a study working with collaborators to create materials that improve outcomes for autistic victim-survivors within the CJS.

My PhD has significant potential for academic, economic, and societal impact. For example, findings from the scoping review and Studies 1-3 could bridge theory (e.g., social cognition) and practice by informing evidence-based policies to create workshops for autistic people and CJS professionals on indicators that predict factors to SA and RaSSO. Consequently, this could reduce rates of sexual victimisation among autistic people, thus also being a preventive measure as well as an educational one. This will also be an economic and societal benefit for autistic people, given the associated financial and mental health costs of being a victim-survivor of SA and RaSSO within the CJS (e.g., time away from work, poorer well-being), and for the CJS due to the already high demand of undertaking psychological reports, forensic medical examinations, and court appointments.

Meanwhile, in Study 4, I plan to co-develop and evaluate training materials (e.g., e-learning modules, interactive videos) for CJS professionals and Operation Soteria Bluestone that offer evidence-based strategies to address misperceptions and knowledge gaps identified by the research. This will help accommodate the needs of autistic victim-survivors of SA and RaSSO within the CJS (e.g., during forensic medical examinations, police interviews) and, in turn, improve their overall experience with the CJS and professionals that work within it.

Click here to find me on LinkedIn.

Key research interests:

Autism, especially when it relates to:

The criminal justice system

(Un)employment

Education

Mental health