Who do children try to tell? Learning from victims and survivors about what helps disclosure and responses to child sexual abuse
Researcher: Dr Corina Modderman, Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead for Social Work
Contact: [email protected] or 0481 957 507
Story angles:
- Why high rates of child sexual abuse remain in Australia despite decades of investment into prevention and early intervention
- Barriers preventing children and young people from disclosing abuse
- Why survivor-led, trauma-informed and culturally safe practices are essential to ensuring children are heard, believed and supported
- How this research challenges Australia’s binary narrative approach
Quotes attributable to Dr Modderman:
“We’ve had years of policy, training and reform — yet child sexual abuse remains prevalent. It’s time we ask survivors what actually makes a difference and rebuild our responses from their insights up.
“Disclosure is not a single moment — it’s often a series of attempts. Children signal, hint, test and trust. When we expect a perfect, linear ‘telling,’ we miss the ways they are already trying.”
AI-driven wound care in community nursing across the Loddon Mallee
Researcher: Khalia Borserio, PhD candidate in Public Health
Contact: [email protected] or 0419 601 080
Story angles:
- AI-powered wound care in rural health
- Why AI could be a scalable solution for rural healthcare
- How digital tools enhance equity in clinical care
- Why there’s higher chronic wound rates in rural communities
- Barriers causing delayed treatment in regional areas
- Strain of wounds on community nursing teams
Quotes attributable to Khalia Borserio:
“AI-driven wound care tools allow clinicians to accurately assess, document and monitor wounds using just a smartphone or tablet. This reduces variation in care, especially in rural settings where access to wound specialists are limited.
“People in rural and regional communities are three times more likely to delay care due to cost, distance or competing priorities like work and caregiving responsibilities. This means wounds are often more advanced by the time help is sought, leading to poorer outcomes.
“In regional areas, chronic wounds such as diabetes related foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers and pressure injuries are more common due to limited access to specialist services and significantly higher rates of chronic disease. In some communities, rates of conditions like diabetes or cardiovascular disease are significantly higher than the state and national average, driving increased likelihood of wounds and their complexity.
“In some community nursing teams, wound care accounts for nearly half of a nurse’s clinical time. With growing demand and stretched resources, we need smarter, scalable solutions and that’s where AI can help.
“Digital tools won’t replace clinicians, but they can enhance clinical decision-making and reduce inequity by ensuring people in rural and regional areas receive timely, high-quality wound care regardless of their postcode.”
Preventing sexual violence in rural communities
Researcher: Freda Haylett, Research Fellow within the Reducing Gender-Based Violence Research Group at the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research
Contact: [email protected] or 0425 411 288. Available for interviews after July 4.
Story angles:
- Why rates of sexual violence are more prevalent in regional areas
- The main sexual violence issues in rural communities
- Why the design of sexual violence interventions and evaluations tailored for rural communities is so important
Quotes attributable to Freda Haylett:
“The unique characteristics of rural life can silence survivors of sexual violence, who fear being marginalised in their community.
“Research suggests rates of sexual violence and more prevalent in regional areas, compounded by isolation, entrenched gender norms and a lack of services.
“Investment is needed in trauma-informed, locally led solutions that harness the strengths of rural communities.”
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Link to recently released discussion paper: Sexual Violence in Regional, Rural and Remote Australia: A Policy and Practice Paper
Walking football for rural adults: the psychosocial and functional benefits
Researcher: Stephen Cousins, Lecturer in Exercise Science
Contact: [email protected] or 0450 318 190
Story angles:
- What is walking football?
- The experiences of walking football among rural older adults
- How adapted walking sports are meeting the needs of older adults
- Benefits of being physically active as people age
Employee perceptions and attitudes towards alternative modes of commuting
Researcher: Richard Larsen, PhD candidate in Public Health
Contact: [email protected] or 0435 025 952
Story angles:
- Why active commuting (travelling to work or school using non-motorised means, such as walking or cycling) rates remain low in developed nations
- Why the desire to move away from motorised transport faces roadblocks
- Psychological factors influencing commute choices
- How infrastructure plays a role in active commuting
Quotes attributable to Richard Larsen:
“Increasing rates of active travel are an important part of reducing carbon emissions and improving human health. The commute to and from work can be an ideal opportunity to increase uptake of active travel.
“There is a desire to switch away from motorised transport, but the feasibility in doing this remains an issue.”
Tailoring information for adults over 50 living with cancer in the age of social media
Researcher: Rosa Goncalves, PhD candidate in the John Richards Centre for Rural Ageing Research
Contact: [email protected] or 0434 777 407
Story angles:
- What factors affect a patient’s cancer journey?
- Role of social media in cancer decision-making
- How social media platforms are used by cancer patients over 50
- Importance of health literacy in cancer care
Quotes attributable to Rosa Goncalves:
“Cancer patients over 50 often experience high levels of unmet information needs during critical decision-making times.
“Our research highlights the importance of addressing evolving information needs for cancer patients, with an emphasis on holistic care that extends to treatment discussions.”
Attitudes to older people and working in aged care
Researcher: Associate Professor Sean MacDermott, Director of the John Richards Centre for Rural Ageing Research
Contact: [email protected] or 0427 704 787
Story angles:
- How students view working in aged care
- How placements are changing attitudes towards working in aged care
- How exposure to older people and aged care influences peoples’ perceptions of working in the sector
Quote attributable to Dr MacDermott:
“We have seen many policies and programs that have invested significantly in encouraging students to take up rural placements in aged care. These will only have an impact beyond the life of the specific program if there is a change in attitudes towards working in the sector.”
The group singing resurgence: who’s behind it?
Researcher: PhD candidate Belinda Densley in the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research
Contact: [email protected] or 0411 201 241
Story angles:
- How group singing improves mental health and wellbeing
- How group singing connects and transforms peoples’ mood
- Why group singing facilitators feel undervalued
- Why the work of group facilitators is often hidden and misunderstood
- Why group facilitators are more than just music teachers
- The worldwide sound wave singing for peace, occurring on 22 September, involving choirs across the globe
Quotes attributable to Belinda Densley:
“My latest research shows singing group facilitators are not simply music teachers, instead they’re community builders. They curate songs that resonate with today’s complex world, encourage harmonious expression and work to transform communities.”
How community paramedics are addressing rural health workforce challenges
Researcher: Professor Evelien Spelten, Professor of Public Health
Contact: [email protected] or 0474 053 734
Story angles:
- How community paramedics are reshaping the delivery of healthcare to traditionally underserved regional communities.
- How the Community Paramedicine project - a Canadian CP@clinic program currently being trialled by La Trobe in the Mallee region - alleviates pressure on workforce shortages in healthcare, including reduced ambulance callouts and emergency department presentations.
- Why the transition from the ambulance into community healthcare can be complex for paramedics.
Self care strategies when researching end-of-life caregiving
Researcher: Michelle Hood, PhD candidate at the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research
Contact: [email protected] or 0457 335 460
Story angles:
- The emotional journey of carers
- How art plays a role in self care for researchers
- The importance of self care in sensitive research
Quotes attributable to Michelle Wood:
“Through my research, which explores being a carer during end-of-life processes and navigating the health system, I found it was important to have an outlet for self care. This was particularly relevant during the interview process, where I listened to people’s stories about losing a loved one - one of the most difficult things to experience - and how they navigated this while interacting with the health system. It was important to have an outlet where I could express my emotion and compassion I felt for my participants during the interview process.”