It is a pleasure to share my experience as a Visiting Academic at the Centre for Protecting Women Online (CPWO) at The Open University. Looking back, I can confidently say that it has been one of the most enriching, inspiring and professionally transformative experiences of my academic career.
I applied for the International Visiting Fellowship because I was seeking an interdisciplinary environment in which to broaden my research on gender-based violence and engage with leading feminist scholars working across psychology, law, technology, education and public policy. From my very first days at the Centre, I knew I had found exactly what I had been looking for.
The CPWO is far more than a research centre. It is a vibrant intellectual community united by a shared commitment to understanding, preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in online environments. During my stay, I had the privilege of witnessing the remarkable breadth of its work: rigorous interdisciplinary research, innovative educational initiatives with young people, meaningful public engagement, policy development and contributions to legislative initiatives aimed at making online spaces safer for women and girls. Seeing how these different strands come together to create tangible social impact was both motivating and deeply inspiring.
My own research explores gender-based violence from a feminist psychological perspective, examining how power relations, institutional cultures and everyday interactions shape women’s experiences. One of the Centre’s greatest strengths is its genuinely interdisciplinary ethos. Different perspectives are not merely brought together; they are actively integrated to address highly complex social problems. The conversations I had throughout my fellowship continually challenged me to think beyond disciplinary boundaries and to consider how psychological processes, technologies, institutional structures and legal frameworks intersect in shaping women’s experiences of violence. Most importantly, they encouraged me to rethink my own theoretical framework by recognising technology-facilitated gender-based violence not as a separate phenomenon, but as an essential part of the contemporary continuum of violence against women.
What made this fellowship truly exceptional, however, was not only its academic excellence but also the extraordinary generosity of the people who make up the Centre. From the moment I arrived, I was made to feel genuinely welcome. I am sincerely grateful to everyone at the CPWO for their kindness, openness and generosity in sharing both their work and their time. Being invited to participate in the Tuesday team meetings offered a fascinating insight into the diversity of projects across the Centre and reflected a collaborative culture that encourages curiosity, critical thinking and mutual support. My heartfelt thanks also go to Michelle, Alba, Miri and Helen, whose warmth, kindness and generosity made me feel part of the Centre from the very beginning.
I am especially grateful to the Human Behaviour team, who made me feel like a colleague from my very first day. Attending the Monday meetings, learning about everyone’s ongoing research and exchanging ideas in such an open and supportive environment quickly became one of the highlights of my fellowship. In particular, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Rose Capdevila and Lisa Lazard, who could not have been more generous or supportive as hosts. Their guidance, encouragement and genuine interest in my work made this fellowship an unforgettable experience. My sincere thanks also go to Nelli and Jihan, whose warmth, generosity and collegiality made every conversation both enjoyable and intellectually enriching. Their willingness to share ideas, experiences and time perfectly reflects the collaborative spirit that defines the Centre.
Looking back on my time at the CPWO, I realise that what I will remember most is not only the research itself, but the atmosphere in which that research is produced: one characterised by intellectual generosity, critical reflection, interdisciplinarity and a genuine commitment to social justice. The Centre demonstrates that academic excellence and human generosity are not competing values; they strengthen one another. It is a place where outstanding scholarship is deeply connected to collaboration, care and the shared ambition to create meaningful social change.
I return to the University of Valencia with new research ideas, new collaborations, lasting friendships and renewed motivation. This fellowship has strengthened my conviction that addressing violence against women requires international, interdisciplinary and feminist collaborations capable of connecting research, policy and practice.
Academically, the fellowship has broadened the theoretical and methodological perspectives from which my colleagues and I study gender-based violence in higher education. Our work is increasingly incorporating the understanding that violence exists along a continuum that transcends the traditional distinction between online and offline spaces. At the same time, my stay at the CPWO has deepened our understanding of the specific complexities of technology-facilitated violence against women and girls. These reflections have already inspired a new collaborative project with colleagues from the Human Behaviour team: a review of the literature examining violence in higher education through this broader conceptual lens. I am genuinely excited to see where this collaboration will lead.
On a personal level, this experience has been equally meaningful. It reminded me that a feminist commitment to research, higher education and social change is not simply something that is written about—it is something that is lived. Throughout my time at the CPWO, I encountered colleagues whose commitment is reflected not only in their scholarship but also in the way they collaborate, support one another and engage with the world around them. Their feminism is present in theory and in practice, in public engagement and in everyday acts of generosity, care and solidarity.
For that, I will always be grateful.
Thank you, CPWO, for reminding me that rigorous scholarship, intellectual generosity and feminist commitment can transform not only our understanding of violence against women and girls, but also the ways in which we work together to challenge and ultimately prevent it. I very much hope that this fellowship marks the beginning of a long-lasting collaboration between the CPWO and the University of Valencia, and I look forward to continuing to learn from—and work alongside—such an inspiring community.
