Dr Susan Rayment-McHugh is an established national leader in sexual violence and abuse prevention. Her academic career builds on a 28-year professional history working with youth and adults who have committed sexual offences, victims of child sexual abuse, and in community level prevention.
Her scholarly work is concerned with how we can best prevent sexual violence and abuse, challenging conventional thinking and proposing alternative evidence-informed approaches to prevention policy and practice. Her conceptual contributions have championed ‘just’, contextual, place-based, and community engaged prevention models, and the importance of secondary prevention of sexual violence and abuse, with the most at-risk populations, including in remote First Nations communities. Her research and clinical practice have also focused on improving treatment for First Nations youth and adults who engage in harmful sexual behaviour.
Dr Rayment-McHugh is Co-Leader of the Sexual Violence Research and Prevention Unit and a Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Justice, within the School of Law and Society. She is also a member of the Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Susan is a criminologist and registered psychologist and is Associate Editor of the UK-based Journal of Sexual Aggression. She has a PhD in Criminology and a Masters Degree in Psychology (Forensic).
Dr Rayment-McHugh’s research has been recognised through awards including the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology David Biles Correctional Research Award (2020). She has built successful collaborations with leading national and international experts in this field and has extensive government and industry networks. She is widely recognised for her expertise, receiving many requests for expert advice and consultation, and numerous speaking invitations.
Prior to moving to an academic role, Dr Rayment-McHugh held leadership positions at Griffith University's Griffith Youth Forensic Service, focused on assessing and treating youth sentenced for serious or violent sexual offences, and at the Neighbourhoods Project, a community based contextual prevention initiative in Far North Queensland.
Board appointments
- Laurel Place, Board member (2019 - ongoing)
- Associate Editor, Journal of Sexual Aggression
Awards
-
2021 UniSC Vice Chancellor and President’s Award for Excellence in Research (Early Career Researcher) Award
- ANZSOC Award for Teaching Excellence 2020, awarded to the USC Criminology and Justice Teaching Team
- ANZSOC David Biles Correctional Research Award 2020, awarded to the Sexual Violence and Prevention Unit Research Team for research report: The effectiveness of sexual offender rehabilitation and reintegration programs: Integrating global and local perspectives.
- Fellow, Advance HE (Higher Education Academy), UK, 2019 - current
- Vice-Chancellor and President's Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2019
- Under Susan’s leadership, the Griffith Youth Forensic Service was the 2014 Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Award national winner.
Professional Social Media
Potential research projects for HDR and Honours students
- Understanding and preventing sexual violence and abuse
- Sexual and violent offending behaviour
- Program evaluation
Research grants
|
Grant / Funding Body |
Project Name |
Investigators |
Value |
Years |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Westpac Safer Children, Safer Communities Grant |
Advancing organisational child-safe practices using contextual safeguarding strategies |
Higgins, McKillop, Rayment-McHugh, & Russell |
A$150,000 |
2022-2023 |
||||
|
University of Newcastle |
Evaluation of the Name.Narrate.Navigate Practice Pathways Program |
Rayment-McHugh & McKillop |
A$42,000 |
2023-2025 |
||||
|
Access to Justice Innovation Fund |
Now.See.Hear: A visual conversation tool |
Blakemore, Randall, Menzies, Rayment-McHugh, Rak, McCarthy |
A$125,00 |
2023-2024 |
||||
|
Sunshine Coast Regional Council |
Nambour Community Safety Review Phase 2 |
Moir, Prenzler, Rayment-McHugh, & Cairns |
A$38,764 |
2022-2023 |
||||
|
Queensland Police Service |
I live my life.. without a knife Evaluation |
Moir, Hine, Rayment-McHugh, & McKillop |
A$19,920 |
2022 |
||||
|
Sunshine Coast Regional Council |
Nambour Crime and Safety Review |
Prenzler, Rayment-McHugh & Moir |
A$12,000 |
2021 |
||||
|
University of Newcastle |
Evaluation of the ‘Name Narrate Navigate’ Pilot Program for Youth Perpetrators of Domestic and Family Violence |
Rayment-McHugh & McKillop |
A$16,809 |
2021 |
||||
|
Stop it Now! UK & US |
Assessing Future Directions for Stop It Now! in the UK, US, and Beyond |
McKillop & Rayment-McHugh |
A$12,000 |
2021 |
||||
|
Queensland Police Service |
Evaluation of the ‘JTYoutGotThis’ Program |
Rayment-McHugh & Moir |
A$29,946 |
2021-2022 |
||||
|
Queensland Corrective Services |
Developing an evidence-informed and culturally safe treatment program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Males convicted of sexual offences. |
Rayment-McHugh, McKillop, & Christensen |
A$501,636 |
2020-2023 |
||||
|
Dept. Children, Youth Justice & Multicultural Affairs |
Cairns Youth Sexual Violence Support Services – Evaluation |
McKillop, Rayment-McHugh, Christensen, Adams |
A$142,764 |
2020-2022 |
||||
|
Save the Children Australia |
Informing Child-Safe Practice from a Contextual Lens |
McKillop, Rayment-McHugh, Christensen |
A$50,000 |
2020-2021 |
||||
|
Daniel Morcombe Foundation |
Evaluation of Daniel Morcombe Foundations Changing Futures Project |
Christensen, Rayment-McHugh, McKillop |
A$56,008 |
2020-2021 |
||||
|
Queensland Police Service |
'What Works in Policing: Managing Child Sex Offenders |
Christensen, Rayment-McHugh & McKillop |
A$17,625 |
2019 |
||||
|
Life Without Barriers |
Enhancing risk assessment for preventing child sexual abuse: An evaluation of Life Without Barriers 'train the trainer' program |
Rayment-McHugh, McKillop &Christensen |
A$10,451 |
2019-2020 |
||||
|
Australian Institute of Criminology |
'LEADing evidence-informed Child Exploitation Material (CEM) Reduction' |
Rayment-McHugh, Christensen, McKillop, Moritz, Burton, Munro, Jones, Prenzler & Lacey, in partnership with Queensland Police Service |
A$68,860 |
2019-2020 |
||||
|
Queensland Corrective Services Grant Scheme |
The effectiveness of sexual and violent offender rehabilitation and reintegration programs: Integrating global and local perspectives to enhance correctional outcomes
|
Nadine McKillop, Susan Rayment-McHugh, Lara Christensen, Tim Prenzler |
A$22,271 |
2018-2019 |
||||
|
Queensland Corrective Services |
Evaluation Framework for therapeutic interventions delivered within a forensic context
|
Nadine McKillop, Susan Rayment-McHugh |
A$33,700 |
2018 |
||||
|
Queensland Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships |
Neighbourhoods Project |
Susan Rayment-McHugh |
A$100,000 |
2017 |
||||
|
Commonwealth Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet |
Evidence informed prevention of youth perpetrated sexual violence and abuse: ‘Realist’ implementation and evaluation [in two Indigenous communities] (Neighbourhoods Project)
|
Stephen Smallbone, Susan Rayment-McHugh, Dimity Smith, Troy Allard, Anna Stewart, Ross Homel, Richard Wortley, Nick Tilley, Donald Findlater |
A$2,278,182 |
2013-2017 |
||||
|
Criminology Research Council |
A comparison of individual, situational and ecological factors associated with adolescence-onset and adult-onset sexual offences against children
|
Nadine McKillop, Stephen Smallbone, Susan Rayment-McHugh |
A$48,817 |
2014-2016 |
||||
|
Queensland Department of the Premier & Cabinet |
Preventing Youth Sexual Violence and Abuse [in two Indigenous communities] |
Stephen Smallbone, Susan Rayment-McHugh, Dimity Smith |
A$98,000 |
2012-2013 |
||||
|
Griffith University Strategic Development Grant |
Preventing Youth Sexual Violence and Abuse [in two Indigenous communities] |
Stephen Smallbone, Susan Rayment-McHugh |
A$15,000 |
2012-2013 |
Research areas
- understanding and preventing sexual violence and abuse
- assessment and treatment of sexual and violent offenders
- endemic sexual violence
- responding to sexual violence and abuse in Australian Indigenous Communities
- place-based prevention models
- best practice clinical models for remote Indigenous community contexts
- program evaluation using a realist framework
- situational prevention of child sexual abuse
- child safe organisations
Teaching areas
- Youth Justice
- Diversity, Crime and Justice
- Punishment and Corrections
- Professional Placement
- Professional Development
- Working with Victims and Offenders
- Rayment-McHugh, S., Adams, D., McKillop, N., Hanley, C., & Walker, C. (In Press). Strong & Solid Spirit: Design & development of a treatment program for First Nations men incarcerated for sexual offences. Journal of Sexual Aggression.
- McKillop, N., & Rayment-McHugh, S. (2025). ‘What Works, for Whom?’ Sexual Offence Treatment Dosage, Duration, Sequence, and Composition. Current Psychiatry Reports, 27, 58–65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-024-01574-5
- Priebe, B., Rayment-McHugh, S., McKillop, N., & Christensen, L. S. (2025). Offence-Specific Interventions for Women Convicted of Child Sexual Abuse: Barriers for Program Implementation in Australia. The Prison Journal, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00328855241309107
- Rayment-McHugh, S., McKillop, N., Adams, D., Higgins, D., et al. (2024). Context matters: Conceptualising and operationalizing the contextual prevention of child sexual abuse. Child Abuse Review, 33, 1, e2859. https://doi.org/10.1002/car.2859
- Allard, T., Rayment-McHugh, S., & Tilley, N. (2024). Testing realist hypotheses: The value of diverse evidence, including unobtrusive measures. In. A. Manzano & E. Williams (Eds). Realist Evaluation: Principles and Practice. Routledge: London.
- Christensen, LS., Rayment-McHugh, S., et al. (2024). Webinars and workshops as professional development tools to upskill frontline workers in identifying and responding to harmful sexual behaviours. Child Protection and Practice, 2, 100036. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chipro.2024.100036
- Innes, S., & Rayment-McHugh, S. (2024). It’s more than a matter of trust: What parents and young children need to know to prevent intrafamilial child sexual abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 33, 1, 43-64. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2023.2291396
- Price, S., Prenzler, T., Rayment-McHugh, S., & McKillop, N. (2024). A review of restorative justice programmes for First Nations Peoples in Queensland. International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice. https://doi.org/10.1080/01924036.2024.2319295
- Priebe, B., Christensen, L. S., McKillop, N., & Rayment-McHugh, S. (2024). “We need help too”: establishing client and practitioner demand for responsive programs for women sentenced for child sexual abuse in Australia. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 63(7), 401–420. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509674.2024.2406756
- Priebe, B., Rayment-McHugh, S., McKillop, N., & Christensen, L. S. (2024). What Women Want: Program Design for Females Sentenced for Child Sexual Abuse. Victims & Offenders, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2024.2400994
- Price, S., McKillop, N., Scanlan, J., Rayment-McHugh, S., Christensen, L., & Prichard, J. (2024). A Review of Digital Interventions as Secondary Prevention Measures to Combat Online Child Sexual Abuse Perpetration. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 33(7), 869–890. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2024.2415549
- Moir, E., Cairns, N., Prenzler, T., & Rayment-McHugh, S. (2024). A review of the impacts of Business Improvement Districts on crime and disorder. Crime Prev Community Safety, 26, 245–265. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41300-024-00214-7
- Rayment-McHugh, S. (2023). Understanding concentrations of sexual violence and abuse: A new theory. Violence Against Women, 29(12-13), 2639-2660. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012231189481
- Bradbury, V & Rayment-McHugh, S. (2023). Decolonising practice: ‘Doing’ contextual safeguarding with an ethics of care. In Firmin & Lloyd (Eds). Contextual Safeguarding: The Next Chapter. UK: Policy Press.
- Prenzler, T., McKillop, N., Rayment-McHugh, S., & Christensen, L. (2023). Best practice in sexual offender rehabilitation and reintegration programs. Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, 9, 3/4, 207-221. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-07-2023-0036
- Price, S., Prenzler, T., McKillop, N., & Rayment-McHugh, S. (2023). Restorative justice as diversion for adult offenders in Queensland, 1990–2021. Queensland Review (St. Lucia), 29(2), 107–119. https://doi.org/10.1558/qre.23950
- Rayment-McHugh, S., et al. (2022). Beyond 'what works': Implementing sex offender treatment programs in the 'real world’. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 61(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509674.2022.2045529
- McKillop, N., Hine, L., Rayment-McHugh, S., et al. (2022). Effectiveness of sexual offender treatment and reintegration programs: Does program composition and sequencing matter? Journal of Criminology, 55(2), 180–201. https://doi.org/10.1177/26338076221079046
- Rayment-McHugh, S., Adams, D., & McKillop, N. (2022). Introducing a contextual lens to assessment and intervention for young people who engage in harmful sexual behaviour: An Australian case study. Journal of Children's Services, 17(3), 192-204. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-06-2021-0024
- Lockitch, J., Rayment-McHugh, S., & McKillop, N. (2022). Why Didn't They Intervene? Examining the Role of Guardianship in Preventing Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 31 (6), 649-671. http://10.1080/10538712.2022.2133042
- McKillop, N., & Rayment-McHugh, S. (2022). Looking Back to Move Forward: The history of Stop It Now! to inform future directions. University of the Sunshine Coast. https://research.usc.edu.au/discovery/fulldisplay/alma99690798902621/61USC_INST:ResearchRepository
- McKillop, N., Reynald, D.M. & Rayment-McHugh, S. (2021). (Re)Conceptualizing the role of guardianship in preventing child sexual abuse in the home. Crime Prevention and Community Safety, 23, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41300-020-00105-7
- Christensen, L.S., Rayment-McHugh, S., Prenzler, T., Chiu, Y., & Webster, J. (2021). The theory and evidence behind law enforcement strategies that combat child sexual abuse material. International Journal of Police Science and Management. https://doi.org/10.1177/14613557211026935
- Christensen, L.S., Rayment-McHugh, S., McKillop, N., Cairns, N., & Webster, J. (2021). Understanding what works in the police management of child sex offenders in the community. The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X211018791
- Edwards, G., Christensen, L.S., Rayment-McHugh, S., & Jones, C. (2021). Cyber strategies used to combat child sexual abuse material. Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 636. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology. https://doi.org/10.52922/ti78313
- Damiris, I., McKillop, N., Christensen, L.S., Rayment-McHugh, S., Burton, K., & Patterson, T. (2021). Judges’ gendered perceptions of sexual offenders: A new explanatory model. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 33, 2, 228-246.
- Morgan, S., Hanley, C., Fa’Aoso, J., Walker, C., Rayment-McHugh, S., & Adams, D. (2021). Conversations on practice in criminal justice. In Bennett, B. (Ed). Aboriginal Fields of Practice. Red Globe Press: UK.
- Rayment-McHugh, S. (2020). The uneven distribution of child sexual abuse. In. Bryce, I., & Petherick, W. (Eds). Childhood Sexual Abuse: Forensic Issues in Evidence, Impact and Management. US: Academic Press/Elsevier
- Firmin, C., & Rayment-McHugh, S. (2020). Two roads, one destination: Community and organizational mechanisms for contextualizing child abuse prevention in Australia and the UK. International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice, 3, 2, 229-245.
- McKillop, N., Reynald, D., & Rayment-McHugh, S. (2020). (Re)Conceptualizing the role of guardianship in preventing child sexual abuse in the home. Crime Prevention and Community Safety. Published online first.
- McKillop, N., Rayment-McHugh, S., & Bojack, R. (2020). Comparing the onset of child sexual abuse perpetration from adolescence into adulthood: Are there unique risks, and what does this mean for prevention?" Child Abuse & Neglect, published online ahead of print.
- McKillop, N., Rayment-McHugh, S., Kaufman, K., Ransley, S., & Gardiner, M. (2020). Assessing child-safe culture and practices in organisational settings: A validation and refinement of Kaufman's Organisational Safety Climate Survey. Journal of Sexual Aggression: An international, interdisciplinary forum for research,theory and practice: Published online first. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600.2019.1692921
- McKillop, N., Rayment-McHugh, S., Smallbone, S., & Bromham, Z. (2018). Understanding and preventing the onset of child sexual abuse in adolescence and adulthood. Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice, No. 554. Australian Institute of Criminology. https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi554
- Smallbone, S., & Rayment-McHugh, S. (2017). Sexual Crimes. In. Sidebottom, A., & Tilley, N. (Eds). Handbook of Crime Prevention and Community Safety (2nd Edition), Chapter 20. UK: Routledge.
- Allard, T., Rayment-McHugh, S., Adams, D., Smallbone, S., & McKillop, N. (2016). Responding to youth sexual offending: A field-based practice model that ‘closes the gap’ on sexual recidivism among Indigenous and non-Indigenous males. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 22, 1, 82-94.
- Rayment-McHugh, S., Adams, D., Wortley, R., & Tilley, N. (2015). ‘Think Global Act Local’: A place based approach to sexual abuse prevention. Crime Science, 4, 22.
- Rayment-McHugh, S., Smallbone, S., & Tilley, N. (2015). Endemic Sexual Violence and Abuse: Contexts and Dispositions. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 4, 2, 111-124.
- Tilley, N., Rayment-McHugh, S., Wardell, M., Smallbone, S., Smith, D., Allard, T., Wortley, R., Findlater, D., Stewart, A. & Homel, R. (2014). On being realistic about reducing the prevalence and impacts of youth sexual violence and abuse in two Australian Indigenous communities. Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts - Special Issue: Evaluation, 14, 6-27.
Dr Susan Rayment-McHugh’s specialist areas of knowledge include understanding, preventing, and responding to sexual violence and abuse. Her research focuses on evidence-informed treatment interventions for youth and adults, primary and secondary prevention initiatives, with a particular interest in contextual prevention approaches, and on program evaluation using realist methods.