About Me
Research Profile
I am a senior lecturer in sociology and criminology at Kristianstad University and hold a PhD in social anthropology from Lund University, Sweden. My research examines the intersections of crime, intimacy, morality, and social control, with a particular focus on sex work, romance fraud, stigma, victimization, and public attitudes.
My current work includes research on romance fraud, victim support, and public attitudes toward fraud. I value collaboration between researchers, public authorities, civil-society organizations, and communities directly affected by the issues being studied. Such collaboration is essential for producing research that can contribute to better-informed policy, public information, and support practices.
Research methodology is also a central interest in my work. I am particularly interested in how question wording, terminology, categories, and research design shape survey responses and the knowledge produced through social research. My work combines qualitative interviews with surveys and experimental methods.
In my dissertation, In My Secret Life: Stigma, Moral Work, and Intimacy Among Swedish Men Who Pay for Sex, I examine how men who pay for sex negotiate secrecy, responsibility, intimacy, and ethical self-understandings in a context of criminalization. My current research extends these interests into romance fraud, including victims’ experiences, support needs, and public perceptions of different forms of fraud.
My research has been published in journals including The Journal of Sex Research, Sexuality Research and Social Policy, Sexuality & Culture, Sexualities, and The Canadian Journal of Political Science, as well as in edited volumes.
Research Experience & Collaboration
My interest in sex work, policy, and rights began while working on a harm-reduction project in Perugia, Italy. In this role, I supported migrant street-based sex workers in accessing healthcare and legal resources. This experience continues to inform my commitment to research that is attentive to lived experience and relevant to policy and practice.
I have continued to engaged with sex worker rights organizations in a range of contexts, as well as with other stakeholders relevant to the research I conduct, including practitioners, policy actors, and support organizations. These relationships have contributed important perspectives to my understanding of sex work, policy, rights, and the consequences of criminalization. I am committed to dialogue and collaboration to ensure that research is informed by the experiences and concerns of the people most directly affected.
I have contributed to several EU-funded research projects, including Demand-side Measures Against Trafficking (DemandAT) and INSigHT: Building Capacity to Deal with Human Trafficking and Transit Routes in Nigeria, Italy and Sweden. This work involved fieldwork in Sweden, Germany, and New Zealand. I have also worked as a consultant for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, where I developed a global database documenting UN member states’ responses to human trafficking.
Academic & Public Engagement
I regularly communicate my research through invited lectures, academic conferences, media interviews, and writing for wider audiences. I have presented my work at universities and research institutions in Sweden and internationally, addressing topics including sex work, criminalization, stigma, research methods, romance fraud, and victimization.
My expertise has been featured in outlets including Sydsvenskan, Kristianstadsbladet, Modern Psykologi, and Sveriges Radio, as well as in podcasts and other public forums. Through this engagement, I aim to make research accessible while contributing evidence and nuance to public discussions about crime, intimacy, sexuality, and social policy.
I am active in national and international research networks spanning law, gender, sexuality, sex work, and social policy. Through long-standing collaborations with researchers, practitioners, advocacy organizations, and other societal stakeholders, I have developed a strong international profile and extensive experience building connections across disciplines, institutions, countries, and professional contexts.
Professional Memberships
- LEX Research Network: private platform for academics and researchers interested in scholarship on law, gender and sexuality (2025-present).
- Gruppo Italiano di Ricerca su Prostituzione e Lavoro Sessuale (GRIPS): Italian research group on prostitution and sex work (2019-present).
- Forskning om Sex Mot Ersättning (FOSME): Swedish research network on sex against remuneration (2016-present).
- Comparing European Prostitution Policies: Understanding Scales and Cultures of Governance (PROSPOL): international research network, COST Action IS1209 (2013-2017).
Awards & Grants
- The Crime Victim Fund, The Swedish Crime Victim Authority (2026).
- Post-graduate Scholarship, Iuav University of Venice (2019).
- MIM Master Essay Award, Malmö University (2014).
- Centre for European Studies Stipend, Lund University (2012).
- Minor Field Study Stipend, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) (2012).
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