This presentation aims to outline the groundwork of a proposed action research on cuckooing against disabled women in the UK. This action research proposal aims to explore the issue of cuckooing and its intersection with violence against disabled women in the UK. Cuckooing, a criminal practice where perpetrators coerce vulnerable individuals into allowing them to take over their homes for illegal activities, disproportionately affects disabled women due to their heightened vulnerability, isolation, and reliance on caregivers. Through a participatory action research approach, this study partners with disabled communities to engage disabled women, social workers, law enforcement, and community stakeholders to co-create and implement interventions designed to address the unique needs of disabled women. The research will employ qualitative methods, including interviews and focus groups, to gather insights from participants and identify systemic gaps in current support frameworks. Data will be analysed using thematic analysis to uncover patterns of exploitation and violence while also examining the effectiveness of existing safeguarding measures. The findings will contribute to policy development, recommending targeted interventions and a multi-agency approach to preventing cuckooing and violence against disabled women. This research aims to empower participants and inform a community-driven response to address these critical social issues.
About the speaker
Dr Carmen Yau is a full-time Lecturer in Social Work and the Lead of Wellbeing Research Unit in the Goldsmiths, University of London. She is a certified sexuality educator. She is also a Mental Health First Aid Champion awarded by the MHFA England. She devotes her passion and time to addressing the intersectionality of disabled women. She promotes and raises public awareness of interpersonal violence against disabled women. In 2023, she published a book chapter, “Gender-based Violence Against Women with Disabilities: Prevalence and Experience”, in an edited book Disability, Sexuality and Gender in Asia published by Routledge. She also had two papers presented at conferences on the prevalence and lived experiences of violence against disabled women in Chinese communities.
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This is Seminar 4 of the 2025/26 Centre for Gender and Violence Research Seminar Series. Please see the 2026 Events pages for further events in this series.