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Darkness and Light: Understanding Shame in Family Violence Settings

Category
Funded research project
Location
Ballarat
Value
$45,000
Open date
08/09/2026
Close date
20/09/2026
Study sector
Higher education
Study level
Higher Degree by Research
Student type
Domestic
Student status
New / commencing
Scholarships available
1
Additional eligibility criteria
  • Completion of an honours degree in an aligned discipline
Apply now

Project overview

Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University Australia and Child and Family Services (Cafs), along with the Ballarat Foundation, have partnered to present a scholarship that provides a chance to study the longitudinal impacts of shame in family violence settings.

Terms and conditions

Title

Darkness and Light: Understanding Shame in Family Violence Settings

Project outline

This three-year PhD will examine the role of shame in the perpetuation and prevention of family violence within regional communities, with Ballarat as a detailed case study. The scholarship has emerged from Federation University’s collaboration with Child and Family Services (Cafs) to regional communities and service partners responding to family violence, institutional abuse and intergenerational trauma. The project, informed by survivor insights and lived experience, will investigate how historical, cultural and intergenerational forces shape contemporary experiences of violence, silence, survival and resistance. Responding to national reform priorities, including the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children, the project addresses a critical gap. Combining academic research, industry placement and co-designed practice engagement, the PhD will produce both scholarly and sector-facing outputs to strengthen prevention and early intervention approaches.

This project is funded for three years, the duration of a full-time PhD.

Stipend

$45,000 per year, provided in fortnightly, tax-free instalments, comprising $40,000 as the base stipend and a $5,000 top-up per annum for an embedded placement with the industry partner.

Project support

$2,000 per year available to spend on the research project, provided by the Research Training Program (RTP) allowance.

Tuition fees

Up to $32,000 will be covered by the Research Training Program (RTP) fee-offset scholarship.

To be eligible for the project, you must: 

  • be eligible for a PhD
  • have completed an honours degree in a relevant discipline (i.e. sociology)
  • be willing to undertake full-time study
  • be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

Please contact Professor Keir Reeves via k.reeves@federation.edu.au before submitting your application. When you're ready to apply, follow our research application instructions.