Publications

Understanding police capacity issues in sex offence investigations, and considering a team approach as a solution to (some of) these challenges

Walley Paul, Davies Kari, Friskney Ruth, Khan Aneela, Horvath Miranda AH

Journal of Criminal Psychology Vol 15, pp. 619-636 (2025)

https://doi.org/10.1108/JCP-02-2025-0022

Centring sexual violence victims : what role for rape victim impact assessments?

Friskney Ruth, McGlynn Clare, Johnson Kelly

International Review of Victimology Vol 31, pp. 332-348 (2025)

https://doi.org/10.1177/02697580251327222

The systemic procedural injustice faced by victim-survivors in police responses to rape and ‘serious’ sexual offences : a comprehensive study of four forces in England and Wales

Smith Olivia, Johnson Kelly, Brooks-Hay Oona, Friskney Ruth, Geoghegan-Fittall Sophie, Hillyard Susan, Hohl Katrin, Jennings Bethany, Molisso Sarah, Myhill Andy, Walling-Wefelmeyer Rosa

International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice Vol 82 (2025)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2025.100756

How the police (over)use explicit apology language to manage aspects of their identity

Friskney Ruth

Journal of Politeness Research Vol 20, pp. 373-396 (2024)

https://doi.org/10.1515/pr-2021-0044

Operationalizing Coercive Control : Early Insights on the Policing of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018

Burman Michele, Brooks-Hay Oona, Friskney Ruth

The Criminalization of Violence Against Women Comparative Perspectives (2023) (2023)

https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197651841.003.0011

Domestic abuse and child contact in Scotland : the perspectives of family law practitioners

Burman Michele, Friskney Ruth, Mair Jane, Whitecross Richard

Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law Vol 45, pp. 234-248 (2023)

https://doi.org/10.1080/09649069.2023.2243147

More publications

Research Interests

My research focuses on the relationships between individuals and institutions, often linking to my previous experience in policy work around justice and gender-based violence.

I am currently working across two main projects. In the Law School I am working on administrative justice in adult disability benefits, funded by the abrdn Financial Fairness Trust. This project seeks to build a new understanding of how claimants of disability benefits understand fair process.

In Social Work and Social Policy I am working on The Health-Justice Nexus: Crime and Justice as Social Determinants of Health in Scotland. This project, funded by the Chief Scientist Office (Scotland), is working to improve the health of Scotland's most disadvantaged communities by looking at how health outcomes are affected by contact with justice institutions. 

Recent previous projects include:

• Operation Soteria, a UK Home Office funded project bringing together police and academic researchers to transform police investigations of rape and serious sexual offences. My work on Operation Soteria included developing the Rape Victim Impact Assessment tool, which supports police forces to embed the rights and interests of victims of sexual violence when developing policy and procedures.
• ‘Domestic abuse and child contact: the interface between criminal and civil proceedings’, funded by Scottish Government
• ‘CAFADA (Children and families affected by domestic abuse)’, an ESRC funded project looking at innovation in social care
• ‘IMPRODOVA: Improving frontline responses to high impact domestic violence’, an EU funded project investigating police and other frontline agency responses to domestic abuse across eight countries
• ‘Constructions of children and parents during the reform of family law in Scotland’, a Carnegie funded project looking at discourses around children’s participation during the parliamentary process of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020
• ‘Improving Justice in Child Contact’, a five country European funded project seeking to enhance children’s participation in decisions that affect them.

I received my PhD in Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh, investigating how the police apologise in responding to public complaints.