I am a behavioural and social scientist who has been leading research on human trafficking, migration, gender-based violence and health for over two decades. I am a founding staff member of the Gender Violence & Health Centre. My research focuses on the health, safety and services for survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence, and at-risk adult and child migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers. I and my colleagues have produced ground-breaking evidence that has contributed to policies and programming in various locations, including Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Ethiopia, the United Kingdom and multiple European countries. My work has been recognised for its impact, for example via LSHTM REF processes and the ESRC (https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/research-action/impact-case-studies/health-trafficked-women and http://www.esrc.ac.uk/news-events-and-publications/impact-case-studies/the-health-impact-of-human-trafficking/).

My current research programme (Invisible Girls) focuses substantially on child domestic workers in Myanmar (funded by MILLBY Foundation, ~£1.2 million). I am also leading a multi-site study on research ethics for youth in risk situations (Guyana, Nepal, Kenya, Indonesia). Additionally, I am a currently co-investigator on studies on labour exploitation (Ethiopia) and violence against women and mental health (India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan). The Invisible Girls programme in particular, has growing influence, for example, on the International Labour Orgranization's measurements included in their international child labour survey instrument, the US State Department's recent funding calls for research on child domestic work and the anti-trafficking organisation, Freedom Fund's programming focus.

My previous European studies generated the first data on the health risks and outcomes among trafficking survivors. My team's Mekong multi-site research remains the largest study on human trafficking and health, to date. And, our five-year DFID-funded evaluation of the International Labour Organization's "Work in Freedom" programme in South Asia is also the most robust anti-trafficking impact evaluation, which has influenced the erroneous use of pre-departure awareness campaigns. Previously, working with Kings College Institute of Psychiatry, we produced evidence for England's Department of Health to help the National Health Service (NHS) respond to the health needs of trafficking survivors. I am the lead author of the World Health Organization's WHO Recommendations for Interviewing Trafficked Women, IOM and LSHTM's Caring for Trafficked Persons: Guidance for Health Providers and produced other international resource materials for law enforcement, service providers and health professionals. I have also written and teach on equitable research partnerships: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27638245/. Before coming to LSHTM, I lived in Cambodia from 1993 to 1998 where I established the first local non-governmental organization against domestic violence against women and children.