Dr. Ava Kanyeredzi

Dr. Ava Kanyeredzi joined the University of East London in February 2016 and prior to that worked as a researcher at Camden and Islington Foundation Mental Health Trust evaluating staff and service user experiences of mental health crisis houses, acute day units and inpatient wards. She completed a PhD at the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, London Metropolitan University (2014) that investigated lived experiences of violence and abuse, seeking help, consequences for the body and mental well-being with African and Caribbean heritage women living in the UK. Dr. Kanyeredzi has been involved in a number of collaborative research projects with Prof. Paula Reavey (London South Bank University), Prof. Steve D. Brown (Leicester University), Dr. Laura McGrath and Dr. Ian Tucker (University of East London) exploring patients and staff experiences of forensic psychiatric spaces and intimate relationships during periods of detention.

Forensic psychiatric mental health: 
Interviews and visual methods research with inpatients and staff on experiences of the indoor and outdoor spaces of a re-designed forensic psychiatric facility (2013 – ). 
Interviews with inpatients on sexuality and intimate relationships while detained in a forensic psychiatry unit (2009). 
Interviews with professionals' perspectives on sexuality and intimate relationships for service users of a forensic psychiatry unit (2007). 

Mental Health Crisis Houses: 
Mixed methods evaluation of staff and service users’ experiences of a mental health Crisis House, acute day units and inpatient wards (2014 – 2016). 

Sexual consent: 
Mixed-methods research using scripted films and focus groups to explore how young people in England understand sexual consent. Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, London Metropolitan University / Office of the Children’s Commissioner (2012 – 2013). 

PhD:

Knowing what I know now, Black women talk about violence inside and outside of the home.

Life history interviews using photographs and maps that were created and brought to the research process, on experiences of violence and abuse in childhood and adulthood for nine African and Caribbean heritage women. The interviews explored how they sought help and support, legacies for the body, how they were responded to and how encounters in public spaces that left feelings of discomfort and intrusion. Fifteen women were interviewed in total: six were experts who worked in violence support, research and health services; and nine victim-survivors participated in a two or three stage life history interview process (2010 – 2014).

Space and memory research: 
Naturalistic discussions with women about remembered experiences of embodying fear in their childhood homes (2010 – 2011). 

I teach on the BSc and MSc Forensic Psychology and Clinical and Community Psychology programmes.