Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Kate Fitz-Gibbon is a leading violence against women scholar. Kate is a Professor (Practice) with the Faculty of Business and Economics at Monash University and an Honorary Professorial Fellow with the Melbourne Law School at University of Melbourne. In 2024 Kate established Sequre Consulting, and is the principal consultant. Kate also holds affiliated research appointments with the School of Law and Social Justice at University of Liverpool (UK) and the Research Center on Violence at West Virginia University (US). From 2020 to 2023 Kate was Director of the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre, and a Professor of Social Sciences in the Faculty of Arts at Monash University.
Kate’s qualifications include a Phd in Criminology (2012), Masters of Human Rights Law (2019), Graduate Certificate of Higher Education (2013) and she is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Kate is an international research leader in the area of domestic and family violence, femicide, responses to all forms of violence against women and children, perpetrator interventions, and the impacts of policy and practice reform in Australia and internationally. She has significant experience with qualitative and survey-based research methods, and a strong record of conducting research that ethically and safely engages with family violence victim-survivors, people who use violence, and practitioners.
The findings of Kate’s research have been published in books, academic journals, funded reports and presented at national and international criminology conferences. Kate has advised on homicide law reform and family violence reviews in Australia and internationally, and has authored over 30 submissions to state, national and international inquiries. Her research has been cited by the High Court of Australia. In 2021 Kate was appointed Chair of Respect Victoria by the Victorian Government.
Research interests
Domesitc and family violence
Adolescent family violence
Femicide
Intimate partner homicide
Adolescent family violence
Perpetrator Interventions
Legal responses to intimate partner violence
Coercive control
Homicide law reform
Sentencing
Youth justice
Children’s rights and the criminal justice system
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research area keywords
- domestic and family violence
- violence against women
- violence prevention
- criminal justice system
- criminal law reform
- adolescent family violence
- children and young people
- femicide
- coercive control
- sentencing
- children's rights
- perpetrator interventions
- intimate partner homicide
- homicide law reform
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
-
Vulnerability and Policing Futures Research Centre
Lloyd, C. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Crawford, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Brown, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Birks, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bretherton, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Grace, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sian, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Holland, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Trehan, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Webber, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Pickett, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Mon-Williams, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hughes, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bainbridge, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Solanke, I. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Westmarland, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), May-Chahal, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Walklate, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Coomber, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Gadd, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Broad, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), White, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bradford, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Fitz-Gibbon, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wood, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Muir, R. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/05/22 → 30/04/27
Project: Research
-
Family Violence Workforce Pathways and Access to Justice
Fitz-Gibbon, K., Meyer, S. & Horrigan, B.
3/06/21 → 30/09/25
Project: Research
-
Gender-based violence and help-seeking behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic
Pfitzner, N., Fitz-Gibbon, K. & True, J.
7/07/20 → …
Project: Research
-
Embedding lived experience in family violence service delivery
Pfitzner, N. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Fitz-Gibbon, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Harris, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Smith, L. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Longhurst, E. (Partner Investigator (PI)) & Darling, J. (Partner Investigator (PI))
30/06/23 → 14/03/25
Project: Research
-
Rapid Review and National Framework for Consent and Respectful Relationships Education
Pfitzner, N. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Berger, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Allen, K.-A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Stonehouse, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ollis, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), McGowan, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Harris, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Lambert, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wheeler, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sanjakdar, F. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Fitz-Gibbon, K. (Chief Investigator (CI))
27/06/23 → 31/07/24
Project: Research
-
Disconnected & Insecure: The Intersection Between Experiences of Long COVID and Intimate Partner Violence
Fitz-Gibbon, K., McGowan, J., Pfitzner, N. & Scott, B., 2024, Melbourne Vic Australia: Monash University. 44 p.Research output: Book/Report › Other Report › Research
Open AccessFile -
Engaging in Change: A Victorian study of perpetrator program attrition and participant engagement in men’s behaviour change programs
Fitz-Gibbon, K., McGowan, J., Helps, N. & Ralph, B., 2024, Melbourne Vic Australia: Monash University. 100 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned Report › Other
Open AccessFile -
Exploring the outcomes of divergent approaches to the policy making process: domestic violence disclosure schemes and perpetrator registers in Australia
Fitz-Gibbon, K., Walklate, S. & Reeves, E., 2024, In: feminists@law. 13, 1, p. 1-25 25 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Informed and Safe, or Blamed and At Risk? Examining the Merits and Limits of Domestic Violence Disclosure Schemes in Australia and New Zealand
Fitz-Gibbon, K., Walklate, S. & Reeves, E., 2024, Melbourne Vic Australia: Monash University. 50 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned Report › Other
Open AccessFile -
Our National Crisis: Violence against Women and Children
Fitz-Gibbon, K., 2024, 1st ed. Melbourne Vic Australia: Monash University Publishing. 92 p. (In the National Interest)Research output: Book/Report › Book › Research › peer-review
Prizes
-
100 Women of Influence Awards 2014: Young Leader
Fitz-Gibbon, Kate (Recipient), Oct 2014
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Dean's Award Excellence in Research by an Early Career Researcher
Fitz-Gibbon, K. (Recipient), Jul 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Dean's Award for Excellence in Research Impact and Engagement
McCulloch, Jude (Recipient), Maher, JaneMaree (Recipient), Fitz-Gibbon, Kate (Recipient), Segrave, Marie Therese (Recipient) & Roffee, James Andrew (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Division of Critical Criminology and Social Justice Best Journal Article of the Year 2020
McCulloch, J. (Recipient), Walklate, S. (Recipient), Maher, J. (Recipient), Fitz-Gibbon, K. (Recipient) & McGowan, J. (Recipient), Nov 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Emerging Leadership Award
Fitz-Gibbon, K. (Recipient), Nov 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
-
New South Wales State Government (External organisation)
Kate Fitz-Gibbon (Member)
Apr 2020 → …Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Membership of an advisory panel/policy group/ board
-
Australian Institute of Criminology (External organisation)
Kate Fitz-Gibbon (Member)
15 Jun 2020 → …Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Membership of an advisory panel/policy group/ board
-
Current Issues in Criminal Justice (Journal)
Kate Fitz-Gibbon (Editorial board member)
3 Dec 2018 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility
-
InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence (External organisation)
Kate Fitz-Gibbon (Member)
Nov 2018 → Jul 2019Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Membership of an advisory panel/policy group/ board
-
Respect Victoria (External organisation)
Kate Fitz-Gibbon (Member)
Aug 2018 → Aug 2021Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Membership of an advisory panel/policy group/ board
Press/Media
-
‘What Happens Next?’: How Do We Build a Future Where Everyone Feels Safe?
Fitz-Gibbon, K., Fisher, J., Roberts, S., Wescott, S., Livingstone, C. & McCormack, F.
29/11/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Podcasts
-
‘What Happens Next?’: What’s Behind the Gender-Based Violence Crisis?
Fitz-Gibbon, K., Fisher, J., Roberts, S., Wescott, S., Livingstone, C. & McCormack, F.
22/11/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Podcasts
-
Sexual harassment impacts university staff – our research shows how
Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Nicola Helps & Stefani Vasil
24/08/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
-
Why the work to hold family violence perpetrators accountable is only just beginning
Nicola Helps, Jessica Louise Burley, Jasmine McGowan & Kate Fitz-Gibbon
8/02/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
-
We’re missing opportunities to identify domestic violence perpetrators. This is what needs to change
Nicola Helps & Kate Fitz-Gibbon
2/02/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature