Karen Antiss

Karen Antiss serves as an Honorary Research Fellow at the Bakhita Centre for Research on Slavery, Exploitation and Abuse, St Mary's University, Twickenham. Following a 31-year career with the Metropolitan Police (1983-2014), she transitioned to academic research focusing on exploitation and abuse, notably contributing to the development of Caritas Bakhita House which opened in June 2015.

Her research expertise centers on human trafficking and modern slavery, drawing directly from frontline police experience. Specialized knowledge includes victim support systems for sexual violence survivors, collaboration with faith-based organizations in trafficking cases, and criminological approaches to exploitation. This operational background informs her interdisciplinary work at the Bakhita Centre, addressing systemic vulnerabilities in abuse cases.

Ms. Antiss held pivotal roles in the Metropolitan Police Sexual Offences Steering Group that established the Sapphire unit for serious sexual violence investigations, and served on the Trafficking Team from 2009 onward developing victim-centered protocols. Her current work bridges law enforcement practices with academic research on exploitation frameworks, though no formal academic departmental affiliation is specified beyond the research center.