I completed a PhD on honour based violence in Jordan and have a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work and Social Policy, as well as a Masters Degree in Social Work and Social Policy (Research). I have also been awarded the Grace Vaughn Award for Human Rights for my PhD work on honour killings. 

I have a passion for social justice and human rights. My work has allowed me to live in refugee camps and work with survivors of torture and trauma as well as those who have been trafficked and forced into marriage. I have attained specialist training in tortore and trauma counselling and frameworks through my work with the United Nations. 

I have worked across government and non-government sectors in areas of domestic violence, policy, legislation, sexual assault and sexual violence, child protection, perpetrator accountability and therapeutic work with children and adult survivors of sexual and domestic violence. I also consult on matters relating to the above, including forced marriage, trafficking of women and children, servitude and I am currently a subject matter expert for the Australian Federal Police. I am also often called upon to provide Expert Witness reports to matters relating to murder, attempted murder and honour based violence.

I have also been extremely honoured to have been awarded a 2020 Churchill Fellowship to investigate family and domestic violence amongst migrant and refugee population groups. This has enabled me to travel to six countries to investigate models of care that have been developed to work with refugee and migrant communities, whilst taking into consideration the Western-centric domain which restricts these practices. As a result of my research, I will now be developing Australia's first honour-based violence screening tool and the second in the World.

Being of refugee background myself, born in Jordan to parents who are refugees as a result of the Armenian and Palestinian Diaspora; humility is at the core of everything that I do. I have been exposed to the deep and significant injustices that innocent people face and hold a strong belif that education is a privalege we cannot take for granted. As such, I have a deep passion for educating the future generations of professionals and have held academic positions in the School of Nursing and Counselling at Notre Dame University. I also contribute to the Bachelor of Medicine Course at Curtin University and Masters of Sexology. 

"By learning you will teach; by teaching you will learn" Latin Proverb

I am a very passionate academic who endeavours to create a safe and engaging space for students. I am open and transparent and able to marry my vulnerability, lived experience, professional expertise and academic qualities into my teaching. I strive to make learning fun, inclusive and challenge students to think outside the box. 

I strive to ensure that all students can thrive and I am open to feedback and encourage participation. I strongly believe in holistic and pastoral care of students and make my self available for them to ensure that they excel academically, personally and professionally. 

English

Arabic

Basic French 

SHAKTI Project: COVID-19 realities. domestic and family violence and culturally and linguistically diverse women.