Associate Professor Helen Paterson from the University of Sydney has been awarded a prestigious Eureka prize for her work advancing the understanding of memory in domestic and family violence cases. Her research highlights that recollections of repeated events differ from those of single events.
Paterson's findings indicate that witnesses to repeated events often report more general, 'gist-like' details and may confuse specific episodes. She noted that this can lead to their testimony being challenged in court, despite the overall accuracy of their accounts.
The research also found that repeated-event witnesses are perceived as less honest, less cognitively competent, and less credible than those who witness single events. Paterson hopes the award will help elevate the voices of victim-survivors.
Other Eureka prize winners include Associate Professor Jane Tiller of Monash University, recognised for her role in legislative change banning life insurers from discriminating based on genetic test results. This ban, passed in April, will take effect on 8 October.