Gillian Abel is a New Zealand public health researcher and as of 2021 head of the Department of Population Health at the
University of Otago
The University of Otago () is a public university, public research university, research collegiate university based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Founded in 1869, Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and one of the oldest universities in ...
in Christchurch.
Education
After a receiving a diploma from
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Cape Peninsula University of Technology () is a university in Cape Town, South Africa. It is the only university of technology in the Western Cape province, and is also the largest university in the province, with over 32,000 students. It was ...
in
Cape Town
Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...
, Abel moved to New Zealand in 1997 to work at the University of Otago.
She graduated from Otago in 2010 with a PhD titled "Decriminalisation: A harm minimisation and human rights approach to regulating
sex work
Sex work is "the exchange of sexual services, performances, or products for material compensation. It includes activities of direct physical contact between buyers and sellers as well as indirect sexual stimulation". Sex work only refers to volun ...
".
Career
Abel's early career focused on hematology before making a career change to focus on public health. In December 2019 Abel was promoted to full professor in the Department of Population Health at Otago with effect from 1 February 2020.
She is also head of the Department.
Abel's research focuses on vulnerable populations, including sex workers, vulnerable youth, and Pacific people. Abel was involved in leading an influential research project funded by the
Health Research Council, which analyzed the impact of the
Prostitution Reform Act on the lives of sex workers. This study has informed policy-making in New Zealand and worldwide.
Research Interests
* Sex work research, explicitly about stigma, decriminalization, and social change
* Youth physical and sexual health
* Community-based participatory research with street-based sex work
* Sex work employment rights
* Destigmatisation of HIV/AIDS
Selected publications
Books
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Journal articles
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References
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
Cape Peninsula University of Technology alumni
University of Otago alumni
Academic staff of the University of Otago
Public health researchers
New Zealand women scientists
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