Sarah WendtView profile
Professor
Professor Sarah Wendt is a Matthew Flinders Fellow and Professor in Social Work at Flinders University's College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, and Director of the SWIRLS Research Centre. Her work focuses on domestic violence's societal impacts, particularly in rural and Aboriginal communities. She holds a PhD from the University of South Australia and has authored over 80 publications. Her research explores domestic violence's intersection with child protection, men's violence, Aboriginal cultural practices, and practitioner well-being. She leads collaborative projects with government and non-government sectors, emphasizing service user involvement. Awards include her Flinders Fellowship. Education PhD in Social Work, University of South Australia (2005) Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Social Work, University of South Australia (2000) Bachelor of Arts, University of Adelaide (2001) Research Interests Domestic violence, child protection, Aboriginal communities, rurality, and feminist theory. She investigates how violence impacts women’s citizenship, culturally informed practices for marginalized groups, and rural practitioners' experiences. Scientific Awards Matthew Flinders Fellow Advising & Grants Supervised research on African refugees' violence experiences, ethnicity-related child abuse, and resettlement processes. Collaborates on grants addressing youth justice, intergenerational trauma, and faith-based violence prevention. Labs/Teams Leads SWIRLS, focusing on innovative social work solutions. Partnerships include government agencies and NGOs to co-design interventions for vulnerable populations.






