Protecting Children, Preserving Culture: Institute Researchers Part of Major ARC Linkage Wins

Professor David Bright is part of a successful team awarded $555,000 for a project aimed at improving responses to child sexual abuse material. The project will generate new insights into victimisation patterns and risk factors. 

“Our work will help police better understand who is being victimised, when and where it occurs and who is most at risk of repeat harm,” said Professor Bright. “This research has the potential to directly inform investigative priorities and accelerate the rescue of vulnerable children.” 

The project will overcome longstanding data limitations by triangulating police data with existing databases, delivering actionable outcomes to stakeholders in its final year. 

Dr Jason Gibson is a key investigator in a project awarded $1,216,951, led in collaboration with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, Museums Victoria and Monash University. The project will explore under-researcher Aboriginal artefact collections from southeast Australia, integrating archaeological science, ethnohistorical analysis and traditional cultural knowledge. 

“This is an exciting opportunity to work alongside Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders and cultural custodians to uncover the stories embedded in these artefacts. By applying cutting-edge techniques like stone sourcing and residue analysis, we aim to reconstruct how these items were made, used and connected to Country.” 

The research is expected to enhance cultural heritage assessments and promote deeper public understanding of Aboriginal histories in Victoria, while laying the groundwork for future Aboriginal Keeping Places. 

These projects exemplify ADI’s commitment to impactful, interdisciplinary research – supporting efforts to protect vulnerable children and preserve Indigenous cultural heritage through collaboration, innovation and community engagement.