Dr Debra Parkinson
Biography:
Dr Debra Parkinson is an Adjunct Research Fellow with Monash University Disaster Resilience Initiative (MUDRI), and researcher for Women’s Health Goulburn North East (WHGNE) and Women’s Health In the North (WHIN). Over the past two decades, she has researched a range of issues related to women’s health including teenage pregnancy, women leaving violent situations, partner rape, women’s access to sexual assault services, access to the legal system, and access to superannuation.
Since 2009, her research has focussed on environmental justice and gender and disaster. In 2015, Debra graduated with her PhD on increased domestic violence after the Victorian ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires, and was awarded the ‘Social and Political Sciences Graduate Research Thesis Award’. Debra has presented across Australia and at disaster conferences in Japan, Denmark, USA, N.Z. and Scotland.
Awards:
| Date/Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | The Resilient Australia Award for ‘Nationally Significant Projects’ for “Addressing domestic violence in disasters through implementing National Gender and Emergency Management Guidelines”. | Awarded to the GAD Pod |
| 2019 | The Victorian Resilient Australia Community Award 2019, sponsored by the Australian Government in partnership with the states and territories and managed by the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) for Long-term disaster resilience. | Awarded to the GAD Pod |
| 2017 | The Mary Fran Myers Award 2017, sponsored by the Natural Hazards Centre in Boulder, Colorado, and the Gender and Disaster Network for our collaborative efforts to reduce disaster vulnerability through advocacy, research and management. The award was to the lead researchers, the three GAD Pod organisations and executive officers, EMV and DHHS (along with GAD Taskforce members and community). This prestigious award is an important recognition of the Victorian-based research in the field of gender and disaster. | Awarded to the Gender and Disaster Collaboration |
| 2015 | The award for Best Thesis in the Social & Political Sciences, presented for ‘Women’s experience of violence following the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires’ (Supervisors: Professor Denise Cuthbert (RMIT), Dr Kirsten McLean, Dr Danielle Tyson.) | Awarded to D. Parkinson |
| 2014 | Resilient Australia Award, sponsored by the Attorney-General’s Department, for ‘Gender & Disaster: Leading the Change’, in the category of ‘Projects of National Significance’. | Awarded to the GAD Pod |
| 2013 | Victorian Health Promotion Foundation Award for ‘Family violence after natural disaster research: Breaking new ground’, in the category of ‘Knowledge and Understanding’. | Awarded to WHGNE |
| 2013 | The 6th Professor Frederick ‘Skip’ Burkle Jnr Keynote Lecture, 2013 at the MUDRI Research Symposium, Monash University on 27/11/2013. | Presented to |
Publications:
(Submitted) Parkinson, D. (2020). Gender Based Violence and Disaster. Chapter in Oxford Research Encyclopedia.
(Submitted) Parkinson, D., Duncan, A., Leonard, L, & Archer, F. ‘Lesbian and bi-sexual women’s experience of emergency management’. Gender Issues.
(In press) Parkinson, D., Duncan, A., Kaur, J., Archer, F. & Spencer. C. ‘The role of community in long-term disaster resilience in Australia’. Radical Community Work Journal.
(In press) Murray, V., Parkinson, D. & Bloomer, E. ‘Climate change and disaster risk reduction’ in Luber, G., Lemery, J. & Sorensen, C. Global Climate Change and Human Health: From Science to Practice 2nd Ed. Wiley.
Leonard, W. & Parkinson, D. (2020). Out and about in the Emergency Management Sector: Promoting LGBTI-inclusive employment practices and workplaces. Short paper Proceedings of Gender and Sexuality art Work: A Multidisciplinary Research and Engagement Conference, The University of Melbourne, Parkville Australia, pp. 126-130.Available: https://fbe.unimelb.edu.au/cwl/conferences/gender-and-sexuality-at-work#proceedings
Parkinson, D. (2019). Investigating the Increase in Domestic Violence Post Disaster: An Australian Case Study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 34(11), 2333–2362. Online version 2017 listed below and available here: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0886260517696876
Parkinson, D., Duncan, A., & Archer, F. (2019). "Barriers and enablers to women in fire and emergency leadership roles", Gender in Management: An International Journal, Vol. 34 Issue: 2, pp.78-93, https://doi.org/10.1108/GM-07-2017-0090
Duncan, A., Parkinson, D., Archer, F., & Keech, E. (2018). Diversity in disaster issues paper: Executive Summary. Australian Journal of Emergency Management Monograph, No. 3. 2018. https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/australian-journal-of-emergency-management-monograph-series/
Leonard, W., Duncan, A., Parkinson, D. and Archer, F. (2018) ‘Findings from the first Victorian study of the experiences and needs of LGBTI communities in emergencies’ Australian Journal of Emergency Management, Monograph No.3, 3 October 2018, 31-34.
Parkinson, D. & Duncan, A. (2018). What’s so hard about writing a fire plan? The central role of gendered expectations in bushfire planning. Australian Journal of Emergency Management Monograph No. 3. https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/australian-journal-of-emergency-management-monograph-series/
Parkinson, D., Duncan, A., Davie, S., Archer. F., Sutherland, A., O’Malley, S., Jeffrey, J., Pease, B., Wilson, A. & Gough, M. Victoria’s Gender and Disaster Taskforce: A retrospective analysis. Australian Journal of Emergency Management. July 2018. Vol. 33. Issue 3. https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/ajem-jul-2018-victoria-s-gender-and-disaster-taskforce-a-retrospective-analysis/
Spencer, C., Bailey, N., Muir, C., Majeed, S., McArdle, D., Keech, E., Duncan, A., & Parkinson, D. (2018) ‘Understanding the role gender plays in survivor responses to natural disaster: Evaluating the Lessons in Disaster Programs’. Australian Journal of Emergency Management. Vol. 33(2). https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/collections/australian-journal-of-emergency-management/
Parkinson, D. Investigating the increase in domestic violence post-disaster: An Australian case-study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, March 2017 (online – see print copy above 2019). http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0886260517696876
Zara, C., Parkinson, D., Duncan, A., and Joyce, K. (2016) Men and Disaster: Men’s experiences of the Black Saturday bushfires and the aftermath. The Australian Journal of Emergency Management. Vol. 31 Issue 3. https://ajem.infoservices.com.au/items/AJEM-31-03-15
Parkinson, D. & Zara, C. (2016) ‘Emotional and Personal Costs for men of the Black Saturday Bushfires in Victoria, Australia’ in Enarson, E. & Pease, B. (Eds.) Men, Masculinities and Disaster. London: Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Men-Masculinities-and-Disaster/Enarson-Pease/p/book/9781138934177
Included in the ‘Compendium of Victorian Community-Based Resilience Building Case Studies’ by MUDRI and EMV. http://bit.ly/29HSGah
Parkinson, D., Zara, C., & Davie, S. (2015). Victoria's Gender and Disaster Taskforce. Australian Journal of Emergency Management. Vol. 30. No. 4. Oct 2015: 26-29. https://ajem.infoservices.com.au/items/AJEM-30-04-08
Parkinson, D., & Zara, C. (2015). Women-led sustained efforts give birth to key Gender & Disaster body, many Australian “firsts”. In M. Cocchiglia (Ed.), Women’s Leadership in Risk-Resilient Development. Bangkok, Thailand: UNISDR. http://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/publications/42882
Parkinson, D. (2015) Women’s experience of violence in the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires. A Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Clayton: School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University. https://figshare.com/articles/Women_s_experience_of_violence_in_the_aftermath_of_the_Black_Saturday_bushfires/4705114
Parkinson, D., Farrant, B. & Duncan, A. (2015). Women and Children. In R. Walker & W. Mason (Eds.), Climate change adaptation by community based health and social service organisations. Collingwood: CSIRO Publishing. http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/21/pid/7323.htm
Parkinson, D., Duncan, A., & Weiss, C. (2014). ‘The impact on women’s health of climatic and economic disaster position paper’ In Australian Women's Health Network (Ed.). Drysdale, Vic.: AWHN. https://awhn.org.au/the-impact-on-womens-health-of-climatic-and-economic-disaster/
Parkinson, D., & Zara, C. (April 2013). The hidden disaster: Violence in the aftermath of natural disaster. The Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 28(2). https://ajem.infoservices.com.au/items/AJEM-28-02-09
Parkinson, D., & Reid, S. (2013). "Invisible" Intimate Partner Sexual Violence: Prevention and Intervention Challenges. In L. McOrmond-Plummer, P. Easteal & J. Levy-Peck (Eds.), Intimate Partner Sexual Violence: A Multidisciplinary Guide to Improving Services and Support for Survivors of Rape and Abuse. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Parkinson, D., & Zara, C. (2013). Issues Faced by Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Survivors in Rural Areas In L. McOrmond-Plummer, P. Easteal & J. Levy-Peck (Eds.), Intimate Partner Sexual Violence: A Multidisciplinary Guide to Improving Services and Support for Survivors of Rape and Abuse. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Quadara, A., Fileborn, B. & Parkinson, D. (2013) The role of forensic medical evidence in the prosecution of adult sexual assault. ACSSA Issues No. 15. http://aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/issue/i15/index.html
Parkinson, D., & Zara, C. (2012). ‘Under Fire: violence in the aftermath of Black Saturday’, DVIRC Quarterly Edition 2 – Winter 2012 (13-15) http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=977736142570877;res=IELFSC (Requires university log on or payment.).
Parkinson, D., Lancaster, C. & Stewart, A. (2011). ‘A numbers game: lack of gendered data impedes prevention of disaster-related family violence’. In Health Promotion Journal of Australia 2011; 22: S42-S45. https://www.academia.edu/25646216/A_numbers_game_lack_of_gendered_data_impedes_prevention_of_disaster-related_family_violence
Parkinson, D. (2010). Supporting Victims Through the Legal Process. ACSSA Wrap No. 8. http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/wrap/wrap8/w8.pdf
Parkinson, D. (2009). Why partner rape is so invisible and why women don't report. DVIRC Quarterly(2), 14-15.
Parkinson, D. (2008). Partner rape and rurality. Aware Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault Newsletter(16) pp. 21-22
Research Monographs and Health and wellbeing policies:
Parkinson, D., O’Halloran, K. & Dinning, J. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 pandemic response on older people. (Commissioned by Respect Victoria)
Leonard, W., Parkinson, D. and Orian Weiss, C. (December 2020) Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Victoria’s family violence primary prevention workforce. Respect Victoria, Melbourne.
Parkinson, D., Duncan, A. & Kaur, J. (2018). Long-term disaster resilience. Vol. 1 Executive summary and recommendations. Wangaratta: Gender and Disaster Pod, WHGNE. https://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Vol-1-Executive-Summary-29-Oct-with-references.pdf
Parkinson, D., Duncan, A. & Kaur, J. (2018). Long-term disaster resilience. Vol. 2 Full report. Wangaratta: Gender and Disaster Pod, WHGNE. https://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Vol-2-Long-term-disaster-resilience-report-FINAL.pdf
Parkinson, D. & Duncan, A. (2018). Lesbian and bi women’s experience of emergency management. GAD Pod. https://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/living-lgbti-during-disasters/
Parkinson, D., Leonard, W., Duncan, A., & Jeffrey, J. (2018). Identifying the experiences and needs of LGBTI communities before, during and after emergencies in Victoria: A research report. Commissioned by the Department of Premier and Cabinet. https://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/living-lgbti-during-disasters/
Parkinson, D., Duncan, A., Joyce, K., Archer, F., Weiss, C., Gorman-Murray, A., McKinnon, S., Dominey-Howes, D. (2016). Gender and Emergency Management (GEM) guidelines: A literature review. Melbourne: GAD Pod. https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/national-gender-and-emergency-management-guidelines/ https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/national-gender-and-emergency-management-guidelines/
Parkinson, D., Duncan, A., Joyce, K., Archer, F., Weiss, C., Gorman-Murray, A., McKinnon, S., Dominey-Howes, D. (2016). Gender and Emergency Management (GEM) guidelines. Melbourne: GAD Pod. http://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Gender-and-Emergency-Guidelines.pdf
Parkinson, D., Duncan, A., Joyce, K., Archer, F., Weiss, C., Gorman-Murray, A., McKinnon, S., Dominey-Howes, D. (2016). Gender and Emergency Management (GEM) Action Checklist Melbourne: GAD Pod. https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/national-gender-and-emergency-management-guidelines/
Parkinson, D., Duncan, A., & Hedger, E. (2015). Women in Fire and Emergency Leadership Roles: How can we improve the balance? Vol. 2. A Research Report commissioned by the DELWP. http://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/FINAL-Vol-2-20160216.pdf (See also Vol. 1)
Zara, C., & Parkinson, D. (2013). Men on Black Saturday: Risks and opportunities for change. Wangaratta: Women's Health Goulburn North East. https://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/info-hub/research-resources/
Zara, C., Weiss, C., & Parkinson, D. (2013) Vol. 3 Men, Masculinity, Disaster: A Literature Review – online. Wangaratta: WHGNE. http://bit.ly/2a8Y8ym
Parkinson, D. (2011). The Way He Tells It - Vol. 1 Relationships After Black Saturday. Wangaratta: Women's Health Goulburn North East. https://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/info-hub/research-resources/
Parkinson, D. (2011). The Way He Tells It - Vol. 2 Women and Disasters: Literature Review. Wangaratta: Women's Health Goulburn North East. https://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/info-hub/research-resources/
Parkinson, D. (2011). The Way He Tells It - Vol. 3 The Landscape of My Soul: Women's Accounts. Wangaratta: Women's Health Goulburn North East. https://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/info-hub/research-resources/
Parkinson, D., & Zara, C. (2011). The Way He Tells It - Vol. 4 A Gut Feeling: The Workers' Accounts. Wangaratta: Women's Health Goulburn North East. https://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/info-hub/research-resources/
Bush to Beach Evaluation for Catholic Care.
Parkinson, D., & Zara, C. (Eds.). (2011). Beating the Flames. Wangaratta: Women's Health Goulburn North East. https://www.genderanddisaster.com.au/info-hub/research-resources/
Earlier reports available on request.