Mrs Gemma Weir

I began my adult education with the OU in 2019, with a BA (Hons) in Criminology and Psychology. I continued with the OU for my master’s degree in Crime and Justice, which I completed in August of this year. I am now embarking on my first year as a postgraduate research student, supported by the Economic and Social Research Council, Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership.

I have a colourful professional history, from journalism and creative writing to research and data analysis. Currently, I work as a skills trainer and mentor for adults who have experienced the criminal justice system and are transitioning from custody into their communities, supporting rehabilitation through education and skills development.

My research project builds on my master's dissertation, which explored the missing link in Northern Ireland’s legislation between coercive control and parental alienation and the impact this gap has on family court outcomes for alienated mothers. My PhD research is a further exploration of parental alienation and analyses the social and economic impact of parental alienation on women in Northern Ireland, from a zemiological perspective. I am particularly interested in approaching this topic from the position of social harm and gender-based violence.