Name: Rusan Lateef
Pronoun: She
Supervisor: Geneviève Paquette, Ph.D.
Email address: Rusan.Lateef@usherbrooke.ca
Describe your research project in a few lines.
My postdoctoral research has two objectives: 1) to investigate whether child maltreatment risk and child protective and medical services received differ among children based on their gender, intellectual disability status, and immigration status; and 2) to explore variations in intellectual disability services received by maltreated and non-maltreated children with intellectual disabilities across gender and ethnicity, and examine whether receiving these services influenced their risk of maltreatment.
As part of the first year of my postdoctoral program, I have also had the privilege of being co-supervised by Drs. Isabelle Daigneault, Jacinthe Dion, Martine Hébert. During my first year, I have been responsible for developing two papers based on their data: one examining self-harm among adolescent survivors of child sexual abuse, and another assessing the reach of campus sexual assault prevention programming.
Can you share with us a memorable moment or experience from your academic journey?
Successfully defending my PhD thesis and publishing manuscripts from my thesis, especially as it was a study I led from conceptualization to publication using an intersectional approach.
What is the most challenging aspect of your research or studies, and how do you overcome it?
Specializing in child sexual abuse research means continuously engaging with stories of trauma from survivors who courageously share their experiences to contribute to research. A challenging aspect, or rather one that takes time, is translating research findings into practices that enhance our understanding of survivors and supports for them – often a shared goal of both survivors and researchers. When interviewing survivors, I approach our discussions with empathy and respect, while reassuring them of my sincere dedication to improving services and raising awareness of the needs and experiences of survivors, with recognition of the unique needs of those from marginalized groups
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my kids, taking walks with my family, and going to the gym.
