Anastasia Powell

Professor Anastasia Powell is a criminologist specialising in prevention, policy and practice reform addressing family and sexual violence.

Anastasia has over 20 years experience as a criminologist in the fields of prevention, policy and practice reform addressing family and sexual violence. She has previously worked in policy roles for the Department of Justice and Community Safety (State Government of Victoria), and has undertaken numerous commissioned research projects for government and non-government agencies to inform policy and practice development in both responses to, and prevention of, domestic and family violence. Since 2016, Anastasia has served on the board of directors of Our Watch, Australia's national organisation for the prevention of violence against women. She is a member of the National Women's Safety Alliance, and a regular advisor to government and non-government agencies on gender-based violence. Anastasia brings together evidence-based expertise, as well as her own lived experiences of family and sexual violence, to her research, teaching and advocacy work.

Anastasia is the author or co-author of over 100 scholarly works including books such as: The Palgrave Handbook on Gendered Violence and Technology (2021), Digital Criminology (2018), and Sex, Power and Consent (2010). Her refereed articles are highly cited and feature in top-ranking journals in the criminology, psychology and social work disciplines. Anastasia's recent research has examined: sexual violence prevention practice; sector responses to family and domestic violence; the intersections of gender-based violence and technology-facilitated abuse; and cyber crimes. Anastasia is a former Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) recipient for her research into community responses to crime and justice in online contexts, and has been a Chief Investigator on several research projects into technology-facilitated abuse and cyber crime funded by both the ARC and the Australian Institute of Criminology. 

Anastasia was the founding program manager of the Graduate Certificate in Domestic & Family Violence at RMIT University. She convened meetings of the Industry Advisory Committee and led consultations with Victorian family violence sector representatives and Family Safety Victoria (State Government of Victoria) to inform the curriculum design and delivery of the Graduate Certificate in Domestic & Family Violence, which is a recognised qualification for family violence case workers.

Anastasia is a regular media contributor and is sought out for her expert commentary on issues of gender-based violence, gender equality, technology-facilitated abuse and cyber crimes. She has published over 40 commentary pieces in sources such as The Conversation, and has appeared in television, radio and print media interviews including for BBC World News London, ABC News Breakfast and The Project (Chanel 10).

Key Activities:
- Criminologist researching prevention, policy and practice reform addressing family and sexual violence
- Policy and program advisor in prevention and responses to family and sexual violence
- Lecturer in the Graduate Certificate in Domestic & Family Violence
- Media commentator on gender-based violence, gender equality, technology-facilitated abuse and cyber crimes

Industry Experience:
- Commissioned research for government departments such as: Office for Women (Victoria), Department of Social Services (Commonwealth)
- Commissioned research for non-government organisations such as: VicHealth, Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS), and Our Watch
- Former policy officer, Department of Justice & Community Safety (State Government of Victoria)