Key Ethical Considerations

Because the topic is sensitive and pertains to personal experiences and cultural ties, there's potential issues of psychological, social, economic harm and even physical harm if there is an abusive partner. The research focuses on women in compromised positions financially and socially, making this full-risk and extra care is needed.

What is the purpose of this research? It’s to examine the experiences and views of South Asian wedding and relationship culture (specifically pertaining to dowry).

Why are you invited for this research? You’re invited because of your proximity to South Asian culture and community. Your experiences, views and knowledge are invaluable to this research.

What would you be asked to do?

Take part in interviews so that you can share your experiences and views about South Asian wedding and relationship culture, the impacts on you or people you know.

Potential Risks

If the experiences are traumatising or harmful to you, it can reignite psychological harm and potential social harm with the stigma that pertains to the subject. Helplines will be provided and your experiences will not be shared to others within the community and anonymised in the research.

Benefits of your Participation

Since the research surrounding dowry is very limited and there is a stigma pertaining to the topic, your experiences and views of the culture and topic can both remove the stigma and allow for better support for women in these situations.

Helplines

In-touch: multicultural service that focuses help on migrant families - 1800 755 988 Financial Counselling Australia: 1800 007 007

High or Low Risk: The ethical application would likely be high risk, as the participants experience would have caused significant social, psychological, financial and physical harm to participants and their families.

There’s also a complex responsibility to balance values and the relationships between protesters/public and officers/government/those in power. The ethical responsibility to empower all voices is high.

Physical, psychological and social risk to researcher and researcher’s family, as working in a context that exposes doxing could increase public incentive to harm researcher if the public doesn’t feel their perspective is being reflected.

Information Sheet:

This research aims to understand the use of doxing within social and political movements. As a participant in this research, your role will be to provide insight into your perspective and experiences as either a victim to doxing or a perpetrator, or both. This will include taking part in interviews and surveys. Potential harms include psychological harm through reliving experiences, as well as feeling like privacy is reviolated, however anonymity is protected.

Support Services:

cyber civil rights initiative is one of the international organisation which support victims especially those facing non-consensual exposure to personal data

E-Safety Commissioner- Supports those affected by cyber crime and harassment.

2.  The original secondary data analysis is low risk because it uses de-identified administrative data. However, interviewing ex-prisoners or police officers would be considered high risk due to: Potential trauma or distress, Power dynamics, Legal or reputational concerns

3. Risks to the Researcher: Emotional distress from hearing traumatic stories & going to a prison is scary, Retaliation or intimidation (especially if interviewing current/former law enforcement or politically involved individuals), Legal risks if confidentiality is breached

What is the purpose of this study?

The purpose of this study was to identify whether or not putting prisoners through educational & job-related programs would be an effective strategy in reducing the amount of reoffenders and relapse rates.

Why have you been invited to be in this study?

Participants in this study were selected based on their lived experience in their vocational and educational training. This was to see if vocational training impacted the chance of reoffending among prisoners. 

What will you be asked to do?

• Participate in an interview 

• Share some anecdotal experiences 

• Possibly reflect on life incarceration + post

Consent?  

• Researchers will have to reach out to ex-offenders and or prisoners and ask for their consent to be interviewed, and or publihed

• Inform them of where the data collected will go 

• Can offer the option of anonymity

   

Are there any possible benefits from participating in this study? ie

• Being able to communicate and share the benefits of educational and vocational training 

• Being able to destigmatise ex-cons as inherently bound to reoffend  

  
  

Are there possible risks from participation in this study?

• Emotional distress from recalling and recounting possibly traumatic stories 

What if I change my mind during or after the study?

• Consent can be withdrawn at any time – there is no pressure to continue. If you change your mind, it can be removed from the study unless it has been used in a way that cannot be undone (so, like secondary analysis, published already, so that it cannot be removed). 

What will happen to the information when this study is over? –

• The study and research collected during this will be used for further study in a similar field of work. Much like Jesse's case attempts to find sufficient data on his work, all data collected during this will be used to inform further study and for academic purposes only 

How will the results of the study be published 

• In academic journals 

• In peer-reviewed literature 

      Identify Services

       -  Lifeline Support 

     - Community Restorative Centre

1. Summary of key ethics considerations for this case study

We have to respect individual human rights and be sensitive towards the topic, she talks about a decolonial approach. You need to be aware of informed consent, as you have to ensure participants are aware of what they are getting into. 

2. Would this case study likely have a minimum or ‘low risk’ ethics application or is research with this group high risk? Does working in research this way pose any risks to the researcher? 

It has low to medium risk, as it doesn’t deal with physical harm, although it does deal with emotionally distressing topics. The researcher could experience emotional repercussions from engaging with participants' difficult experiences, raising concerns for mental health. 

3. What might these risks be and how would you mitigate these? 

To mitigate this, the researcher can be wary of the questions they ask and aware of the answers that are going to be given, as it is a highly sensitive topic. And to ensure that the researcher is maintaining professional boundaries between each participant, to not cause further harm to participants and herself. She could also be aware of the cultural differences between Africa and Australia, which could hurt her emotionally.

Consider if you were to interview the population being researched in your case study

1. A short information sheet (see pages 92–93 in the reading) in plain English that outlines what the research is about, what their role in the research will be, and any risks or benefits to the research. 

• What is the purpose of this study? - Heejae

The purpose of this study is to understand how people from the African refugee backgrounds define and view ‘human rights’ from their own cultural perspectives. By understanding your knowledge, this study aims to challenge the dominant Western assumptions and better support your communities. 

• Why have you been invited to be in this study? - Heejae

You have been invited to participate because you are from an African community with experience of the refugee or asylum seeker process in Australia. Your involvement is completely voluntary, and if, at any time, you decide not to continue participation, you may withdraw with no consequences.

• What will you be asked to do? - Vanessa

Participants will be asked to describe what human rights is in their country, and what it means to them. This would then lead to individuals being asked in many separate countries.  This study started with surveys and questionnaires, however then led to become more personal, and used interviews that regarded human rights.

• Consent - Vanessa

Participants must be aware of everything they are being asked to do. It is important to inform all participants in the research that is being conducted and how results will be kept, and ensure that individuals gain informed consent, to ensure that all information given remains valid, and is ethically received. Consent is especially important for the topic as it is a highly sensitive topic for individuals.  Consent needs to be given and informed for all participants no matter the type of primary method that is used. 

• Are there any possible benefits from participation in this study? - Taneesha

Participants may gain a sense of empowerment and validation by sharing their personal experiences in a respectful and supportive environment. Their involvement can also contribute to greater awareness and understanding of culturally sensitive research practices, particularly those informed by decolonial approaches. In the broader sense, participation can help improve future research and policy outcomes that value and respect diverse perspectives.  Additionally, by participating, individuals play an important role in promoting awareness and change within the community, as their insights may inform better approaches to research, education and social policy. 

• Are there any possible risks from participation in this study? - Taneesha 

While there are no physical risks, participants may experience emotional or psychological distress when discussing sensitive or potentially traumatic topics. Recounting personal experiences may trigger difficult emotions or memories. To minimise these risks, the researcher should approach each interview with sensitivity, provide clear support options and remind participants that they can pause or withdraw from the study at any time. Providing access to mental health and community support services is also crucial to safeguard participant wellbeing. 

• What if I change my mind during or after the study? - Elaine 

If a participant were to change their mind during or after the study, the researcher will be obligated to abide by their wishes and allow them to withdraw anytime without penalty. The participant cannot be coerced into continuing to participate and can request that their data be omitted so that their comfort and safety are ensured.

• What will happen to the information when this study is over? - Elaine 

After this study is over, the researcher must not include personal information, such as the participant’s identity, which can be achieved through using pseudonyms and implementing methods of data security. Anonymity and confidentiality are crucial for research to be ethical and the participant to be protected.

• How will the results of the study be published? - Audrey 

The results of this study will be presented at universities or at community workshops, and they will be published in scholarly journals. We won't use your name or any other identifiable information. To ensure that no one can be identified specifically, all replies will be compiled and summarised.

2. Identify at least 2 free support services you could refer research subjects to if they became distressed in the course of an interview with them - Emilija 

In instances where participants become distressed in the course of the interview, they can be referred to free support services that specialise working with refugee and asylun seeker communities. Suitable services would include the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and trauma surviours (STARTTS) and Australian Red Cross - Support for Refugee and Asylum Seekers Program.  STARTTS provides free psychological treatment to people who have experienced and survived torture and refugee trauma. Services they provide range from psychological treatment including counselling and therapy, to community programs with group work, which may be beneficial to a distressed individual and help them relieve stress. Additionally, the Red Cross Refugee and Asylum Seeker Program is a national support service which provides immediate emergency relief  to trauma services locally and can help individuals with mental health support as well as other hardships including financial and housing.