Gill Hague, Emeritus Professor of Violence Against Women Studies in the University’s School for Policy Studies, has been awarded a ‘Special’ award from the Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize (EHMP) to recognise her life's work in combating violence against women.  The EHMP awards are the only ones in the country to mark the work by individuals or groups in trying to stamp out violence against women.  The prize was awarded for lifetime achievement, and is additional to the two recurring prizes, awarded each year.

Professor Hague was a co-founder with Dr Ellen Malos in 1990 of the Violence Against Women Research Group, now named the Centre for Gender and Violence Research, at the University.  She has worked on violence against women issues for forty years and has produced around 120 publications on violence against women, working internationally on the issue in many countries including South Africa, Uganda, India and Mexico.

Her research includes the first-ever national UK study of disabled women and domestic violence, international studies on ‘honour’-based violence in Iraqi Kurdistan, on bride-price in Uganda, and on marriage, immigration and domestic violence in India and the UK; a national study of how much domestic violence survivors' voices are heard in policy development; research on Canadian innovations in violence against women work; and studies on children and domestic violence, on inter-agency initiatives and on many other issues in the gender violence field.

On receiving her award, which was presented at the Feminism in London Conference at the Institute of Education, Professor Hague said: “Violence against women is a global issue, but working throughout your career combating it is one of the most worthwhile, powerful and moving ways of spending the one human life we have.

“Receiving this award is a huge honour, not only for myself, but also for the work of the Centre for Gender and Violence Research.”