About
Dr. Alexa Ridgway is a Lecturer in Criminology & Justice Studies at RMIT University's School of Global, Urban & Social Studies (GUSS). Her research focuses on migration, gender studies, and criminology, with particular attention to issues of family violence, migrant agency, and socio-legal dynamics. She has conducted impactful studies on victim-survivor support systems, student grief in higher education, and the intersection of religion/spirituality with marital breakdown among migrant women.
Her work spans commissioned reports for government agencies like Family Safety Victoria, peer-reviewed journal articles, and book chapters addressing topics such as expatriate research ethics, autoethnographic reflections on academic grief, and the spatial dimensions of migrant victimization. Dr. Ridgway’s research emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, blending qualitative methods with policy analysis to address systemic inequities.
- Key Research Themes: Family violence intervention models, migrant resilience strategies, gender-based trauma, and socio-legal frameworks.
- Recent Projects: Evaluation of the Alexis Family Violence Response Model (2025), analysis of student grief during pandemics, and studies on nature-based healing for divorced migrant women.
Dr. Ridgway collaborates with institutions like the University of Hong Kong and has contributed to policy discussions on victim-survivor advocacy. Her work often highlights marginalized voices, particularly those of migrant women, in both academic and applied contexts.
