Participants needed for research into the night-time economy and violence against women
According to the 2019/20 Crime Survey for England and Wales, in 84 per cent of sexual offences the victim was female. Women and girls should not be fearful of being attacked in public places on a night out.
This is a prevalent societal problem that researchers at the University of Portsmouth believe requires purposeful and forensic examination. To do this, Dr Judith Fletcher-Brown and Dr Karen Middleton wish to openly engage with the night-time economy community and the general public, to understand the root causes and change long-established and harmful, attitudes, systems and behaviours around masculinity that perpetuate gender inequality and men’s violence against women.
Dr Fletcher-Brown said: “If you work in the pub, club, are a DJ or door security, or work for the emergency services, taxi firms, or a local takeaway, please contact us because you could really help this project.
“Do you wish your employer provided a safer working environment? Do you feel safe walking home after your shift and have you ever intervened in a violent situation? We'd love to know about your story.”
To take part in the study, please contact [email protected]
Healthcare technology support
SIGHT (Supporting Innovation and Growth in Healthcare Technologies) is a business support programme, led by the University of Portsmouth in conjunction with the Wessex Clinical Research Network and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, to provide help and guidance to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the healthcare technology sector.
The £1.7m programme, part-funded by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund), provides help and guidance to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the healthcare technology sector. It also gives SMEs access to clinicians and patient groups, enabling their products to meet the specific needs of these end users.
Over the course of its three-year programme, SIGHT has worked with over 400 companies across England, helping them to develop and deliver their medical and healthcare products to market. Examples include:
- NTL Biologica offering COVID-19 antibody testing
- ioLight developing compact, high-quality portable microscopes to enable scientists to analyse samples on the spot
- Disable The Label app to help parents of disabled children find support
Dr Phil Jewell, SIGHT CEO, said: “SIGHT has engaged with a multitude of highly innovative SMEs developing next generation technologies for improving healthcare. The health tech industry is of vital importance to both the local and national economy. It is our ambition to expand SIGHT support to our community in order to achieve greater impact on wellbeing and the lives of patients.”
Professor Gordon Blunn, Director of the Health and Wellbeing research theme at the University of Portsmouth, added: “SIGHT is a win-win: SMEs will receive bespoke, agile support to increase their competitiveness, and access new markets and develop products. It will help them avoid the so-called ‘valley of death’ many companies face between innovation and getting a medical technology product to market. As a result, patients and the public will benefit from faster access to new products and services that meet their healthcare needs.”
Find out more about SIGHT at sightprogramme.co.uk or contact [email protected]
Watch more about SIGHT and hear from our partners and SMEs on youtube.