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Associate Professor Melanie Beres

Melanie BeresBSc PhD (Alta) MSc (Guelph)

Associate Professor in Sociology

Contact Details

Room 5C15, Richardson Building
Tel +64 3 479 8736
Email melanie.beres@otago.ac.nz

My core area of interest is in sexual violence prevention. In particular I am interested in understand how people give consent to sex, and how we might be able to use this information to develop effective educational programming. I am also interested more broadly in constructions of sexuality including queer sexualities. I engage with both qualitative and quantitative methods.

Teaching

I co-ordinate and teach:

I teach sections of:

Postgraduate supervision

  • Sexual violence prevention
  • Consent
  • Sexualities

Current Students

Ola Kattoura PhD

Arab and Jewish Battered Women in Shelters

Seamyi Chung PhD

Anti-aging practices of older Korean women in New Zealand

Mahfuzur Rahman PhD

The causes of plateau in fertility transition in Bangladesh

Nishanthi Perera PhD

Sexual health of international students from South Asia

Bell Murphy PhD

Empowerment beyond the neoliberal self: An autoethnography of a feminist self defence teacher in Aotearoa

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Publications

Dixon, L., Treharne, G., Pettie, M., Bowden, C., Patterson, T., Beres, M., Mirfin-Veitch, B., Shaw, R., Eketone-Kelly, A., & Ashdown, J. (2023). Male survivors of sexual violence and abuse (SVA): Barriers and facilitators to reporting and accessing services. (pp. 1-110). Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Social Development. [Technical/Scientific Report].

Patterson, T., Hobbs, L., Treharne, G. J., & Beres, M. (2022). Seeking of help and support after experiencing sexual harm: Considerations for cisgender women, cisgender men and gender-diverse people. New Zealand Medical Journal, 135(1562), 56-62. Retrieved from https://journal.nzma.org.nz/

Beres, M. A. (2022). From ignorance to knowledge: Sexual consent and queer stories. Feminism & Psychology, 32(2), 137-155. doi: 10.1177/09593535211059003

Bird, R. J., Wibowo, E., Fitzgerald, R. P., Murray, K., Beres, M. A., & Girling, J. E. (2022). Teaching reproduction, gender and sexuality: Broad, multidisciplinary and nuanced. Sex Education, 22(2), 228-241. doi: 10.1080/14681811.2020.1845643

Pettie, M., Dixon, L., Treharne, G., Bowden, C., Patterson, T., Beres, M., Mirfin-Veitch, B., Shaw, R., … Eketone-Kelly, K. (2021). What helps and hinders male survivors’ help-seeking behaviour in Aotearoa New Zealand? Proceedings of the 12th Biennial Conference of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology (ISCHP). (pp. 43). Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/view/ischp21

Kaler, A., & Beres, M. A. (2010). Essentials of field relationships. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press, 128p.

Authored Book - Research

Beres, M. A. (2018). The proliferation of consent-focused rape prevention social marketing materials. In C. Dale & R. Overell (Eds.), Orienting feminism: Media, activism and cultural representation. (pp. 181-196). Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-70660-3

Chapter in Book - Research

Beres, M. A., & Bird, F. (2016). Qualitative evidence and the development of sexuality education materials: The case of Family Planning New Zealand. In K. Olson, R. A. Young & I. Z. Schultz (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative health research for evidence-based practice. (pp. 173-185). New York: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2920-7_27

Chapter in Book - Research

Chambers, A., & Beres, M. (2016). Thinking on their feet: Ten PhD graduates negotiate unexpected ethical dilemmas. In M. Tolich (Ed.), Qualitative ethics in practice. (pp. 133-146). Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Beres, M. A. (2014). Desire, pleasure, and sex in young adults' heterosexual relationships. In B. Fox (Ed.), Family patterns, gender relations. (4th ed.) (pp. 220-230). Oxford University Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Beres, M. (2009). Moving beyond “no means no”: Understanding heterosexual casual sex and consent. In B. A. Crow & L. Gotell (Eds.), Open boundaries: A Canadian women's studies reader. (3rd ed.) (pp. 275-282). Toronto, Canada: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Chapter in Book - Research

Beres, M. (2008). ‘It just happens’: Negotiating casual heterosexual sex. In M. S. Kimmel, A. Aronson & A. Kaler (Eds.), The gendered society reader. (pp. 370-382). Toronto, Canada: Oxford University Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Beres, M. A. (2022). From ignorance to knowledge: Sexual consent and queer stories. Feminism & Psychology, 32(2), 137-155. doi: 10.1177/09593535211059003

Journal - Research Article

Bird, R. J., Wibowo, E., Fitzgerald, R. P., Murray, K., Beres, M. A., & Girling, J. E. (2022). Teaching reproduction, gender and sexuality: Broad, multidisciplinary and nuanced. Sex Education, 22(2), 228-241. doi: 10.1080/14681811.2020.1845643

Journal - Research Article

Patterson, T., Hobbs, L., Treharne, G. J., & Beres, M. (2022). Seeking of help and support after experiencing sexual harm: Considerations for cisgender women, cisgender men and gender-diverse people. New Zealand Medical Journal, 135(1562), 56-62. Retrieved from https://journal.nzma.org.nz/

Journal - Research Article

Graham, K., Potterton, H., Mihaere, T., Carrington, B., Treharne, G. J., & Beres, M. A. (2021). Balancing community input and established research: Findings from the development of a sexual violence prevention campaign. Journal of School Violence, 20(3), 288-300. doi: 10.1080/15388220.2021.1897017

Journal - Research Article

Graham, K., Treharne, G. J., Liebergreen, N., Stojanov, Z., Shaw, R., & Beres, M. A. (2021). A qualitative exploration of barriers to university students’ willingness to attend sexual violence prevention workshops. Sex Education, 21(2), 148-160. doi: 10.1080/14681811.2020.1772225

Journal - Research Article

Hayward, M., Treharne, G. J., Liebergreen, N., Graham, K., & Beres, M. (2021). Residual rape myth acceptance among young women who have recently completed a sexual violence prevention workshop. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 50(2), 46-54.

Journal - Research Article

Stojanov, Z., Treharne, G. J., Graham, K., Liebergreen, N., Shaw, R., Hayward, M., & Beres, M. (2021). Pro-social bystander sexual violence prevention workshops for first year university students: Perspectives of students and staff of residential colleges. Kōtuitui, 16(2), 432-447. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2021.1906712

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. A., Stojanov, Z., Graham, K., & Treharne, G. J. (2020). Sexual assault experiences of university students and disclosure to health professionals and others. New Zealand Medical Journal, 133(1523), 55-64. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. A., Terry, G., Senn, C. Y., & Ross, L. K. (2019). Accounting for men's refusal of heterosex: A story-completion study with young adults. Journal of Sex Research, 56(1), 127-136. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2017.1399978

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. A., Treharne, G. J., & Stojanov, Z. (2019). A whole campus approach to sexual violence: The University of Otago model. Journal of Higher Education Policy & Management, 41(6), 646-662. doi: 10.1080/1360080X.2019.1613298

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. A., Treharne, G. J., Stewart, K., Flett, J., Rahman, M., & Lillis, D. (2019). A mixed-methods pilot study of the EAAA rape resistance programme for female undergraduate students in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Women's Studies Journal, 33(1/2), 8-24.

Journal - Research Article

Treharne, G. J., & Beres, M. A. (2016). Writing survey questions to operationalise sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation in New Zealand: Perspectives from psychological and sociological research with the LGBT community. New Zealand Sociology, 31(1), 173-180.

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. A., & MacDonald, J. E. C. (2015). Talking about sexual consent: Heterosexual women and BDSM. Australian Feminist Studies, 30(86), 418-432. doi: 10.1080/08164649.2016.1158692

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. A. (2014). Points of convergence: Introducing sexual scripting theory to discourse approaches to the study of sexuality. Sexuality & Culture, 18(1), 76-88. doi: 10.1007/s12119-013-9176-3

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. A. (2014). Rethinking the concept of consent for anti-sexual violence activism and education. Feminism & Psychology, 24(3), 373-389. doi: 10.1177/0959353514539652

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. A., Senn, C. Y., & McCaw, J. (2014). Navigating ambivalence: How heterosexual young adults make sense of desire differences. Journal of Sex Research, 51(7), 765-776. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2013.792327

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. (2010). Sexual miscommunication? Untangling assumptions about sexual communication between casual sex partners. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 12(1), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/13691050903075226

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. A., & Farvid, P. (2010). Sexual ethics and young women's accounts of heterosexual casual sex. Sexualities, 13(3), 377-393. doi: 10.1177/1363460709363136

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. A., Crow, B., & Gotell, L. (2009). The perils of institutionalization in neoliberal times: Results of a national survey of Canadian sexual assault and rape crisis centres. Canadian Journal of Sociology, 34(1), 135-164.

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. A. (2007). ‘Spontaneous’ sexual consent: An analysis of sexual consent literature. Feminism & Psychology, 93-108. doi: 10.1177/0959353507072914

Journal - Research Article

Lozanski, K., & Beres, M. (2007). Temporary transience and qualitative research: Methodological lessons from fieldwork with independent travelers and seasonal workers. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 6(2), 106-124. Retrieved from http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/IJQM/article/view/544

Journal - Research Article

Beres, M. (2020). Perspectives of rape-prevention educators on the role of consent in sexual violence prevention [Short report]. Sex Education, 20(2), 227-238. doi: 10.1080/14681811.2019.1621744

Journal - Research Other

Beres, M. (2019). Perspectives of rape-prevention educators on the role of consent in sexual violence prevention [Short report]. Sex Education, 20(2), 227-238. doi: 10.1080/14681811.2019.1621744

Journal - Research Other

Beres, M. (2018). What does faking orgasms have to do with sexual consent? Sexualities, 21(4), 702-705. doi: 10.1177/1363460717708151

Journal - Research Other

Boodoosingh, R., Beres, M., & Tombs, D. (2018). Research briefing: Violence against women in Samoa. Women's Studies Journal, 32(1/2), 33-56.

Journal - Research Other

Cooper, A., Shaw, R., Beres, M., du Plessis, R., & Germon, J. (2012). Author meets critics: Jennifer Germon's Gender: A geneaology of an idea [Panel discussion]. New Zealand Sociology, 27(1), (pp. 112-131). [Full Paper]

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper

Beres, M., Stojanov, Z., Hohmann-Marriott, B., & Treharne, G. (2021). Rethinking sexual consent knowledge and sexual violence prevention. Proceedings of the 12th Biennial Conference of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology (ISCHP). (pp. 43). Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/view/ischp21

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Pettie, M., Dixon, L., Treharne, G., Bowden, C., Patterson, T., Beres, M., Mirfin-Veitch, B., Shaw, R., … Eketone-Kelly, K. (2021). What helps and hinders male survivors’ help-seeking behaviour in Aotearoa New Zealand? Proceedings of the 12th Biennial Conference of the International Society of Critical Health Psychology (ISCHP). (pp. 43). Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/view/ischp21

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Beres, M. (2016). Teaching about sexual consent: Lessons from research across social contexts. Proceedings of the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Conference. (pp. 46-47). Retrieved from http://www.familyplanning.org.nz/about/our-events/conference-2016

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Beres, M. (2015). The limits of consent for sexual violence prevention. Proceedings of the Trans/forming Feminisms Conference: Media, Technology, Identity. Retrieved from http://transformingfeminisms.noblogs.org/

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Beres, M., & Hohmann-Marriott, B. (2011). "Stuck in the middle with you": Power, housework and interracial relationships. Proceedings of the Sociological Association of Aotearoa, New Zealand (SAANZ) Annual Conference: Looking Forward: Trends, Horizons and Utopias. (pp. 20). Retrieved from https://www.victoria.ac.nz/sacs/about/Conference-Programme-SAANZ-Nov-2011.pdf

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Beres, M. A. (2007). The role of space and place in ethnographic fieldwork: Lessons from research with transient populations. Proceedings of the Third International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry & Couch-Stone Symposium. Retrieved from http://www.iiqi.org/C4QI/httpdocs/qi2007/index.html

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Chung, S., Beres, M., & Barusch, A. (2014, September). Anti-ageing and practices: Empowerment or oppression of women? Poster session presented at the New Zealand Association of Gerontology Conference: The Age of Ageing, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Beres, M. A., Terry, G., & Senn, C. Y. (2011, August). What would a player do? Accounting for men's lack of sexual desire. Poster session presented at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Washington, DC.

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Beres, M., Senn, C. Y., & McCaw, J. (2009, August). Taking “mis” out of miscommunication: Navigating desire differences in heterosex. Poster session presented at the 117th American Psychological Association Convention, Toronto, Canada.

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Graham, K., Shaw, R., Dougherty, J., Treharne, G., & Beres, M. (2020, August). Creating a social marketing campaign for university students. Verbal presentation at the Te Whare Tāwharua Third Annual Symposium, Dunedin. New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Stojanov, Z., Jao, C.-W., Treharne, G., & Beres, M. (2020, August). Results from the 2019 campus climate survey: Understanding sexual violence on campus. Verbal presentation at the Te Whare Tāwharua Third Annual Symposium, Dunedin. New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Ah Siu-Maliko, M., Beres, M. A., Boodoosingh, R., & Tombs, D. (2019, October). Church responses to gender-based violence against women in Samoa. Verbal presentation at the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) Forum, Cape Town, South Africa.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Felton, T., Beres, M., Shaw, R., Dougherty, J., Gilbertson, C., & Dixon, R. (2019, December). Addressing sexual violence on campus: Building opportunities for student growth, professional development and wellbeing. Workshop presentation at the Australian & New Zealand Student Services Association (ANZSSA) Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Beres, M. (2010, June). Reading between the sheets: Understanding sexual communication in heterosexual relationships. Verbal presentation at the 32nd Annual Guelph Sexuality Conference: Communication & Sexual Health: More than Words, Guelph, Canada.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Beres, M. (2009, April). Developing a cohesive anti-rape movement: The case of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Verbal presentation at the VII International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture and Society (IASSCS) International Conference: Contested Innocence: Sexual Agency in Public and Private Space, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Beres, M. (2008, November). Co-constructing an ethical (hetero)sexual relationship. Verbal presentation at the 37th Annual Conference of the Sociological Association of Aotearoa (New Zealand) (SAANZ): Multidisciplinary Sociology, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Ah Siu-Maliko, M., Beres, M., Blyth, C., Boodoosingh, R., Patterson, T., & Tombs, D. (2019). Church responses to gender-based violence against women in Samoa. Commissioned by New Zealand Institute for Pacific Research. 82p.

Commissioned Report for External Body

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