Growing evidence and newly emerging extremist movements (such as incels) suggest a relationship between violence against women and girls and violent extremism. Case studies, data analyses, and practitioner insights increasingly highlight overlaps between domestic abuse and violent extremism, raising important questions about how these harms intersect.
This seminar explores what is currently known about the relationship between domestic abuse and violent extremism, the mechanisms that might connect them, and the implications for risk assessment, safeguarding, and prevention. Drawing on a programme of ongoing research and situating findings within policy and practice contexts, the session will reflect on opportunities for the prevention of violent extremism and violence against women and girls agendas.
Venue: Arts Lecture Theatre
Time: 17.00-18.30
Speaker
Caitlin Clemmow manages the Jill Dando Institute Research Lab at University College London, where she is a senior member of UCL’s Counterterrorism Research Group. Her research focusses on understanding vulnerability and mobilisation to grievance-fuelled violence, including offenders such as violent extremists, domestic abuse perpetrators, mass murderers, serious youth violence offenders, and the pathologically fixated.
In the past three years, Caitlin has led or co-led projects on violent extremism, grievance-fuelled violence, domestic abuse, and serious youth violence, funded by the UK Home Office, the US Department of Homeland Security, Counterterrorism Police, and the Youth Endowment Fund. Her current projects include research continuing to understand the overlap between intimate partner abuse and violent extremism, the role of mental health and complex needs in violent extremism, youth vulnerability and mobilisation to violent extremism and targeted violence, and hybrid and fluid threats such as Nihilistic Violent Extremism and The Com network.
Caitlin prioritises research-to-practice knowledge exchange, working closely with practitioner teams across the UK and internationally, including the Counter Terrorism Clinical Consultancy Service, the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, Theseus Risk Management, and Counterterrorism Police Headquarters. She is committed to bridging research and practice, aiming to deliver evidence-based solutions to prevent a range of harms, including violence.