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ProfessorRita Shackel

Professor of Law and Ethics

Sydney Law School

Orcid identifier0000-0003-1669-3019 (opens in a new tab)⁠
  • Professor of Law and Ethics
    Sydney Law School

RESEARCH INTERESTs

Rita's research program is strongly interdisciplinary focussing on the efficacy and improvement of legal, health and social justice processes, with a specific focus on access to justice for children and women. She has a particular interest in sexual and gender based violence and crimes, the needs of victims and survivors of sexual violence and abuse. Rita also has a research program on legal education, legal professionalism and ethics generally.

More specifically Rita's research interests include:

  • Children's rights
  • Investigation and prosecution of child sexual abuse
  • Psychological and expert evidence
  • The needs and experiences of victims of interpersonal crime
  • Trauma-informed care and responses
  • Families and the law
  • Criminal and social justice processes
  • International criminal justice and human rights
  • Transitional justice
  • Sexual and gender based violence and crimes
  • Legal professional responsibility and legal ethics
  • Legal education and student well-being
  • Ethics in human research

FUNDED RESEARCH

  • GRANT
    The dignity by design project: survivor-led system redesign
    The National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse1 Jun 2023
    People funded by this grant:
  • GRANT
    Women defendants in domestic violence cases - addressing gender bias and systemic injustices
    The American Association for University Women (AAUW)1 Jul 2018
    People funded by this grant:
    • Shackel R
  • GRANT
    Understanding and responding to the lived experiences of survivors of sexual violence
    DVC Research1 Jan 2018
    People funded by this grant:
    • Shackel R
  • GRANT
    Threshold Decisions in Determining Whether to Prosecute Child Sexual Abuse (opens in a new tab)⁠
    Australian Research Council30 Jun 2016 - 31 Dec 2022
    People funded by this grant:
    • Cashmore J,
    • Shackel R,
    • Goodman-Delahunty J,
    • Powell M,
    • Parkinson P
    MORELEARN MORE (opens in a new tab)
  • GRANT
    Threshold decision-making in deciding whether to prosecute for child sexual assault
    Australian Research Council (ARC)1 Jan 2016
    People funded by this grant:
    • Shackel R,
    • Cowdery NR,
    • Goodman-Delahunty J,
    • Parkinson P,
    • Powell M
  • GRANT
    Transformative Gender Justice: A Global Symposium
    Office of Global and Research Engagement1 Sep 2014
    People funded by this grant:
    • Lambourne W,
    • Angir C,
    • Shackel R,
    • Boesten J,
    • Scanlon H
  • GRANT
    Making Transitional Justice Work for Women: Rights, Resilience and Responses to Violence Against Women in Northern Uganda, Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo
    Australian Aid1 May 2013
    People funded by this grant:
    • Shackel R,
    • Lambourne W,
    • Fiske L
  • GRANT
    The impact of delayed reporting on the prosecution of child sexual assault cases and the outcomes
    Attorney Generals Department1 Jan 2013
    People funded by this grant:
  • GRANT
    A multidisciplinary approach to reducing child sexual abuse in Sri Lanka
    Australian Agency for International Development (AUSAID)1 Jan 2011
    People funded by this grant:
    • Shackel R,
    • Weerakoon P
  • GRANT
    Measuring Access to Justice - A Comparative Study
    Tilburg University1 Jan 2010
    People funded by this grant:
    • Shackel R
  • GRANT
    Understanding prosecutorial decision-making in child sexual assault cases
    Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales1 Jan 2007
    People funded by this grant:
    • Shackel R