Dr Carlene Firmin
senior research fellow, University of Bedfordshire, specialising in peer-on-peer abuse

Dr Carlene Firmin MBE is a senior research fellow at the University of Bedfordshire, where she leads their work on peer-on-peer abuse and exploitation, and heads the work of the MsUnderstood partnership. Carlene also acts a consultant to local authorities and voluntary sector organisations, developing contextual responses to adolescent safeguarding, and has engaged with professionals in 70 local authorities on this matter since 2013. Prior to this Carlene was the principal policy advisor to the Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s Inquiry into child sexual exploitation in gangs and groups, assistant director of policy and research at children’s charity Barnardo’s, and for five years researched the impact of criminal gangs on women and girls, at the charity Race on the Agenda.

In 2011 Carlene was awarded an MBE for services to women and girls.

Follow Carlene on Twitter: @carlenefirmin

RELATED SESSIONS

Sunday 23 October, 14.00 Frobisher 4-6
Peer-to-peer sexual abuse: myth or time bomb?