Dr Afroditi Pina

Reader in Forensic Psychology Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Lead Designated Safeguarding Officer University of Kent Harassment Contact Network Chair
Email
a.pina@kent.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)1227 823781
Dr Afroditi Pina

About

Afroditi is a Reader in Forensic Psychology and Director of Graduate Studies and Research.  Afroditi conducts research in forensic and social psychology on the broad areas of sexual violence, gender equality and victimisation.

Research interests

Online and offline harassment, sexual harassment, and sexual aggression:

Afroditi’s research examines sexual violence, equality and victimisation. Her work explores the psychological factors shaping attitudes and behaviours relating to sexual violence of many forms. She has conducted work on image-based abuse, identifying characteristics of perpetrators and impact. She has also researched sexual harassment victims, coping strategies adopted by these victims, psychological impact of harassment as well as perpetration of harassing behaviours.

She has also published work on rape myth acceptance, stalking, negative emotions (anger, fear and sadness), management of sex offenders in the community and access and exposure to pornography.

She is currently conducting research on behaviours that belong in the Technology Facilitated Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence umbrella, such as Image-Based Sexual Abuse, cyberbullying, cyber-harassment, stalking and coercive control using technological means.

Sexual and self-objectification:

Afroditi has published work on self-objectification and its effects on intentions to pursue cosmetic surgery as well as the effects of sexual objectification on rape victim blaming and perceived suffering of rape victims. 

Teaching

  • Convenor of PSYC8050: Psychology of Criminal Conduct

  • PSYC8060: Psychology of Law & Justice

  • PSYC8470: Forensic Cognition: Theory, Research and Practice
  • PSYC8250: Assessment and Treatment of Offending Behaviour in Forensic Settings 

Supervision

Afroditi is interested in examining the psychological explanations for people’s attitudes and behaviours that pertain to the topics of Image-Based Sexual Abuse, Technology Facilitated Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence, Cyberstalking, Online Racial and Gender Harassment and Hate Speech
Current students
Primary Supervisor:
  • Amna Alasfour
  • Rhianna O'Brien
  • Tony Scott
  • Abdolhadi Shaban-Azad (co supervised with Prof. Giner-Sorolla)
Secondary Supervisor:
  • Penelope Agranov (Prof. Robbie Sutton)
  • Amun Mohanty (Prof. Theresa Gannon)
  • Olivia Bradshaw (Dr Cassidy Weekes) 
Past students
  • Dr Jenna Harewell (2025)
  • Dr Rachel Tisi (2024)
  • Dr Ben Saunders (2021)
  • Dr Kayleigh Parratt (2020): Rape myths, and victim and perpetrator empathy: An analysis of situational, personal and professional characteristics on perceptions of rape within the Police Service
  • Dr Phoebe Smith (2020): Creatively exploring the implicit component of implicit theories
  • Dr Kayleigh Denyer (2019)
  • Dr Arielle Sagrillo Scarpati (2018) (CAPES Foundation): The role of culture and morality on men’s acceptance of sexual aggression myths and perpetration of rape in Brazil and the United Kingdom
  • Dr Tom Page (2015): Sexual harassment: Investigating the role of social-cognitive mechanisms and group-based emotions

Professional

Grants and Awards

 
2023
  Vasquez,  E & Pina, A.

Anger Rumination and Online aggressive antisocial behaviour. ICSS Seedcorn Funding.
£1,752
  

 
2022
  Pina,A. Ferguson, H. 

Bullying and harassment in Research Environments. Research England: Enhancing Research Culture Fund- Organisation of anti harassment and bullying workshops for Division of Human and Social Sciences		£6,000
  

 
2023
  Pina, A. Harewell J.
Thanet District Council Strategic Assessment and Data review
£4,618
  

 
2021Home Office: Domestic Abuse Perpetrators Research Fund. 

Technology-facilitated domestic abuse: A multidisciplinary examination of methods used by perpetrators. Principal Investigator		£98,965.91
  

 
2014
  Cameron, L., Pina, A., Calogero, R. & Sutton, R.

Children's experiences of gender: Literature review and scoping study for the Office of the Children's Commissioner (May-July 2014).		£12,333
  

 
2014
  Pina, A.
"Watching me watching you" The development of a cyber-harassment proclivity scale.

University of Kent Social Sciences Faculty Small Grants Scheme (May 2014-May 2015)		£3,038
  

 
2014
  Pina, A. 
Interdisciplinary Workshop on Internet Safety and Cyber-Harasssment Research.

School of Psychology Seed Fund (April 2014-April 2015)		£1,000
  

 
2013
  Horvath, M., Alys, L., Massey, K., Pina, A., Scally, M. & Adler, J., 
A Rapid Evidence Assessment on the Effect that Access and Exposure

to Pornography has on Children and Young People. Office for the Children's Commissioner 

OCC Inquiry into child sexual exploitation in gangs and groups (CSEGG)
  		£24,995
  

 
2012
  Pina, A.
Front-line care workers’ experiences of sexual harassment in secure units and 

mental health hospitals in the South East of England. 

University of Kent Social Sciences Faculty Small Grants Scheme		£2,708
  

 
2010-12
  Gannon, T.A., Wood, J.L., Pina, A., & Vasquez, E. 

Ministry of Justice
Evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot		£324,417
  



Professional memberships
  • 2017-2021: Editor in Chief: Journal of Sexual Aggression
  • 2015-Present Editorial Board Member of Journal of Sexual Aggression
  • 2019-Present: Editorial Board Member of Sex Roles
  • 2019-present: Image-Based Abuse Research List member
  • 2026 Editorial Board Member of Psychosocial Intervention
  • 2019-present: Image-Based Abuse Research List member
  • 2015-present: Sexual Violence Against Students Steering Group Member
  • 2015-2017: Associate Editor of Journal of Sexual Aggression
  • 2014-present Associate Editor of Women's Studies International Forum

Last updated