Key role on NSPCC committee for expert
Published
25 August 2023
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Professor of Criminology at the University of East London, Julia Davidson has joined the policy committee at the leading children’s charity, the NSPCC. In her new role, she will advise the charity on the political, economic and social context for its work protecting children, especially as it relates to existing and proposed legislation as well as emerging research and the findings of safeguarding bodies, regulators, inspectorates and the courts.
Professor Davidson, who also serves as the director of UEL’s Institute for Connected Communities, is one of the UK's foremost experts on policy and practice in children and young people's use of digital media and online harm. She has worked in the child sexual abuse and exploitation field with abuse survivors, practitioners and policy makers for over 30 years.
Professor Davidson commented,
I am delighted to take on this role. I have worked with NSPCC colleagues for many years, their work in safeguarding the most vulnerable children and young people is recognised nationally and internationally. UEL has a considerable body of research in this area and I look forward to sharing my expertise and contributing to the important work of the policy committee.”
A spokesperson for the NSPCC said, “We are delighted to welcome Professor Davidson to the committee. At the NSPCC we stand up for all children, influencing policy and decision-makers to better protect children and young people. Our policy, research, influencing, and campaigning work helps bring about the changes we want to see across the UK and the Channel Islands. Being independent – relying on the public to fund our work – means we can push for change when others may be unable to do this.
“Our current strategy sets out three impact goals:
- Everyone plays their part in preventing child abuse.
- Every child is safe online.
- Children feel safe, listened to, and supported.
“As part of the governance of the NSPCC, the policy committee plays an essential role in helping us achieve these goals.”
As part of her research, Professor Davidson has worked with the NSPCC previously. One of the NSPCC’s key strategic goals is to “transform the online world so it is safe for children to go online.”
It is a goal that aligns with much of the cutting-edge research carried out by Professor Davidson and her team at the Institute for Connected Communities, which focuses on child and adult online harms, young people and cybercrime, online child abuse and online offending and exploitation. The institute's academics work with a large network of academic, industry and third sector partners informing policy and practice across the globe.
These include organisations such as UNICEF, the US Sentencing Commission, the UN International Telecommunication Union, the UK Home Office, the Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport, and the law enforcement agency of the European Union, Europol.
Professor Davidson’s work as Chair of the UK Council for Internet Safety Evidence Group informed the UK Online Safety Bill, which aims to protect children and adults using the internet and is currently making its way through Parliament. She also acts as an advisor on online child protection to governments in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and South America.
She was awarded an OBE by the late Majesty the Queen for services to internet safety in October 2020.
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