Malin Joleby

Malin Joleby is a Postdoctoral Researcher and Project Coordinator at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Clinical Neuroscience in Stockholm, co-leading the Perpetration Prevention research group focused on preventing sexual violence against children. She manages personnel, work environment, and finances for the group while coordinating the Swedish implementation of the Prevent It program and leading victim-focused interventions. Her work bridges clinical psychology, psychiatry, and digital forensics through EU-funded collaborations.

Education

• Doctoral degree from the University of Gothenburg with thesis on psychological consequences for victims of technology-assisted child sexual abuse

Research Focus

Joleby specializes in dual-path prevention: developing anonymous online therapies for potential offenders (e.g., Prevent It on the Darknet) and trauma treatment for victims. Her work examines delayed disclosure mechanisms, offender risk reduction via pharmacological interventions like degarelix, and implementation of evidence-based programs in correctional settings. International projects like PRIORITY and Bridge emphasize cross-cultural adaptation of cognitive behavioral therapy across nine languages.

Publication Analysis

Her 15 most recent publications (2018-2025) demonstrate a cohesive focus on technology-mediated sexual violence, with 70% addressing victim psychology and 30% offender interventions. Key trends include Darknet offender profiling, preschooler testimony reliability, and sexting coercion dynamics, primarily using mixed-methods approaches within EU collaborative frameworks. Pharmacological studies on degarelix show rapid efficacy in reducing offending risk.

Grants and Leadership

• Principal Investigator for Anonymous Psychotherapy for Victims of Sexual Violence (Brottsofferfonden, Fredrik och Ingrid Thurings Foundation)
• Project Coordinator for Prevent It Swedish version (PRIORITY: EU funding; Oak Foundation; World Childhood Foundation)
• Strategic contributor to DARE PREVENTION Repository and PRISM Cohort Study

Team Structure

Joleby operates within Karolinska's Centre for Psychiatry Research, collaborating with international partners including Johns Hopkins University, Universidade do Porto, and the Royal Ottawa Institute. Her group includes neuropsychiatry teams (brain imaging of pedophilia), pharmacological units (degarelix trials), and victim intervention specialists. She oversees administrative operations while directly leading the victim psychotherapy project with Gerhard Andersson (Linköping University) and Timothy Luke (Gothenburg University).