Fay Sweeting

Dr Fay Sweeting

  • u_fsweeting at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
  • Senior Lecturer in Psychology
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Biography

Prior to joining academia, I was a Dorset Police officer (2004-2021). In 2017, I completed the MSc in investigative forensic psychology at BU and stayed on to complete a funded PhD.

My main research area concerns sexual misconduct within the police - inclusive of abuse of position for a sexual purpose as well as internal sexism, bullying and misogyny. I am also developing a risk assessment tool to assist the police in identifying officers who are engaging in the above mentioned behaviours.

I am currently a member of two National Police Chief Council working groups (abuse of position and internal sexual misconduct) and the HMIC academic research group.

In addition to my main interests, I also conduct research into the rare and complex auto-immune condition of Behçet's disease. I am also supervising post-graduate students in the areas of rape myths, post natal depression and emotions in the neuro-diverse.

Current projects:

National survey on police sexism and misogyny

Pilot psychometric testing of police recruits...

more

Journal Articles

  • Wheeler, A., Sweeting, F., Mayers, A., Brown, A., Farrington, S., 2026. Improving perinatal mental health outcomes: The role of support in assisting breastfeeding experiences following birth trauma. Midwifery, 152.
  • Sweeting, F., Mulvihill, N., 2025. ‘There is nowhere that you can go, that I can’t find you’: The experiences of women in abusive intimate relationships with serving police officers in England and Wales. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 27 (4), 406-423.
  • Mulvihill, N., Sweeting, F., 2025. Special Issue introduction: Police perpetrators of sexual and violent abuse. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 27 (4), 365-368.
  • Arden-Close, E., Sweeting, F., Guy, D., Mallia, C., Yankouskaya, A., 2025. Exploring medication adherence in Behçet’s disease following COVID-19: a mixed-methods study. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 20 (1).
  • Paine, B., Yankouskaya, A., Sweeting, F., 2025. ‘You can get a bit immune to it’: Emotional preparedness and coping strategies as utilised by English homicide detectives. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 27 (2), 199-209.
  • Wheeler, A., Sweeting, F., Mayers, A., Brown, A., Farrington, S., 2025. The Positive Cycle of Breastfeeding—Mental Health Outcomes of Breastfeeding Mothers Following Birth Trauma. Healthcare Switzerland, 13 (6).
  • Mulvihill, N., Sweeting, F., 2025. Sexual and violent police perpetrators: the institutional response to reporting victims. Policing and Society, 35 (1), 34-49.
  • Bone, J., Sweeting, F., 2025. Understanding the Nature and Prevalence of Sexual Misconduct in the UK Prison and Probation Service. Prison Journal.
  • Wheeler, A., Farrington, S., Sweeting, F., Brown, A., Mayers, A., 2024. Perceived Pressures and Mental Health of Breastfeeding Mothers: A Qualitative Descriptive Study. Healthcare Switzerland, 12 (17).
  • Bubbear Rogers, E., Sweeting, F., 2024. Exploring police employees' attitudes and behaviours as a bystander towards police sexual misconduct. Policing Oxford, 18.
  • Sweeting, F., Cole, T., 2023. Sexual Misconduct in Police Recruits as identified by Police Trainers. Police Journal, 96 (2), 245-266.
  • Davis, H., Lawrence, S., Wilson, E., Sweeting, F., Poate-Joyner, A., 2023. ‘No one likes a grass’ Female police officers’ experience of workplace sexual harassment: A qualitative study. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 25 (2), 183-195.
  • Sweeting, F., Cole, T., 2023. The sharks and the fishermen: An exploratory content analysis of police officers who abused their positions for a sexual purpose. International Journal of Police Science & Management.
  • Sweeting, F., Cole, T., 2023. “We do employ some morons”: police trainers' opinions on recruitment procedures. Policing and Society: an international journal of research and policy.
  • Sweeting, F., 2023. How can rape investigations be enhanced? Consideration of attrition in rape cases: Second follow-up study. Psychology of Women and Equalities Section Review, 5 (2).
  • Sweeting, F., Cole, T., Hills, P., 2022. Is the blue wall of silence a fallacy in cases of police sexual misconduct? International Journal of Police Science and Management, 24 (3), 285-297.
  • Sweeting, F., Arden-Close, E., 2022. The impact of Behçet’s disease on intimate relationships in women: A qualitative study. Chronic Illness, 18 (2), 255-267.
  • Sweeting, F., Arabaci-Hills, P., Cole, T., 2021. Outcomes of Police Sexual Misconduct in the UK. Policing Oxford, 15 (2), 1339-1351.

Books

Conferences

  • Arden-Close, E., Teixeira, M.S., Sweeting, F., 2024. EXPERIENCES OF PATIENTS WITH BEHCET'S DISEASE IN RELATION TO COVID-19 VACCINES: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS. PSYCHOSOMATIC MEDICINE, 86 (5), A77.

Theses

  • Sweeting, F., 2021. Sexual misconduct in police officers: development of a risk assessment tool for the early identification of police officers and staff who abuse their positions for a sexual purpose. Bournemouth University, Faculty of Science and Technology.

Others

Conference Presentations

  • Tackling VAWG Together Conference, 06 Dec 2023, Tidworth, Wiltshire
  • Now's the time - Learning Event, 26 May 2023, Birmingham
  • Police Misconduct, 16 May 2023, London
  • Somerset VAWG day, 15 May 2023, Bridgewater, Somerset
  • College of Policing: VAWG conference, 15 May 2023, Ryton
  • Avon & Somerset Police Abuse of Position Conference, 15 Mar 2023, Avon and Somerset Police HQ
  • Sexual harassment in the workplace, 24 Jan 2023, Manchester
  • Professional Standards and Ethics Conference 2022, 21 Nov 2022, Stratford Upon Avon
  • Garda Commissioners Conference, 08 Nov 2022, Tipperary
  • Shining a light on betrayal, 26 Jul 2022, Belfast
  • Abuse of position for a sexual purpose: keeping boundaries professional, 29 Oct 2021, Durham

Broadcast Interview

The data on this page was last updated at 05:23 on July 15, 2026.