Domestic violence and abuse experiences of people with multiple sclerosis and their implications for practice

In the context of an increase in domestic violence and abuse (DVA) reporting since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, this PhD explores the lived experiences of people with multiple sclerosis in the UK who have faced DVA since March 2020.

Healthcare staff have become progressively more alarmed about suspected and confirmed cases of DVA in people with multiple sclerosis since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to a reduction of other forms of external support, their role as potential access points for support became more pivotal than before. However, there is limited guidance available for healthcare staff who wish to act on concerns about DVA and also on adjusting practice for remote consultations.

This PhD contributes to a programme of research, which aims to increase the evidence base on DVA experiences of people with multiple sclerosis with a view to highlight implications for practice. It is twinned with a PhD at the University of Nottingham, which explores the views of healthcare staff who support people with multiple sclerosis. Approximately 12 months after the PhDs started, they will be joined by a 2-year post-doc, which focuses on developing a toolkit for practice. This toolkit will arise from the findings and recommendations made by the PhDs. 

This is a full PhD studentship, funded by the Horne Family Charitable Foundation for 3 years, which includes UK student fees and an annual maintenance grant (£15,609 in 2021/22). It sits within Sociology & Social Policy and will be jointly supervised by Dr Andrea Hollomotz (Sociology & Social Policy) and Dr Helen Ford (Neurology). The candidate will benefit from a vibrant postgraduate research culture at the University of Leeds and be affiliated with the Centre for Disability Studies, a world-leading network of researchers committed to carrying out research that helps achieve equality and social justice for disabled people.

Although we have specified that fieldwork will engage with the lived experiences of people with multiple sclerosis, we have not decided on the research methods. Applicants are required to write a proposal of no more than 2,000 words (excluding references), which briefly explains and justifies the methods they propose to use. For further information about the application process, please visit our website.