Dr Lorraine Sheridan is a Forensic Psychologist and former academic. Lorraine brings to DART Group over 25 years of experience specialising in stalking, family violence, and threat assessment.

Lorraine qualified in the UK and moved to Perth in 2012. Until early 2022 she was an Associate Professor in psychology at Curtin University. She now works as a Forensic Psychologist in private practice. Lorraine is a former President of the Asia Pacific Association of Threat Assessment Professionals.

Recognised as a global expert on stalking and family violence, Lorraine has published five books and more than 80 papers in refereed scientific journals. Her areas of research include stalking, harassment, family violence, cybercrime, risk and threat assessment, campus safety, Islamophobia, racial and religious discrimination, suicide in prisons, celebrity worship, offender profiling, psychopathy, male rape, repeat criminal victimisation, policing, legislative change, sexual assault, suicide in Aboriginal populations, DNA and fingerprints, drug dependent offenders, mentally disordered offenders, and internet sex offenders.

Much of Lorraine’s research has adopted an applied, interventionist angle. This has meant that her work has had an extensive and pragmatic real-world impact on clinical practice, the criminal justice system and broader society. For example, an evidence-based risk assessment form that Lorraine authored was until recently employed in all cases of harassment (approximately 300,000 per year) reported to the police in England and Wales. She has provided advice internationally to governments who are who are seeking to develop legislation relating to stalking, harassment, bullying, family violence and non-fatal strangulation.

Lorraine provided case management advice to the UK police for more than 10 years and was an Association of Chief Police Officers accredited Behavioural Investigative Advisor (offender profiler) in the UK. She regularly consults to law enforcement both internationally and in Australia, security personnel, public figures, and others on stalking, harassment, violence, risk assessment, threat assessment, malicious communications, and similar topics.

Training is a passion of Lorraine’s and she has have created and facilitated training ranging from one-hour sessions to full weeks. Attendee groups have included security personnel, human resources professionals, line managers, employee support teams, police officers, government policy advisors, social workers, lawyers, magistrates, academics, medics and charity and non-governmental organisation professionals. Topics of training sessions and programmes include stalking and harassment, threat assessment, family violence and other forms of abuse, conspiracy theories, and increasing employee wellbeing. Lorraine has given 86 conference presentations, 68 of which were invited, and 38 were at international conferences.

Over the course of her career, Lorraine has worked directly with many victims and survivors, perpetrators, police, governments, and victim advocates. She currently provides therapy to victims and abusers and completes assessments and reports for the Justice System.

Jolene Ellat is founder and Director of the Domestic Abuse Resource and Training Group (DART Group) and principal of DART Institute.

Jolene is a domestic family violence (DFV) and sexual violence specialist with over 15 years of experience. She provides research, workforce development consultancy, professional training and supervision for government and non-government agencies and community groups. She provides policy and practice expertise in prevention, early intervention, perpetrator intervention, supervision and trauma recovery. She has a special interest in cultural diversity and competency when working with families from diverse backgrounds.

During her early career, Jolene worked with family law services in coordinated response and managerial roles. She provided women’s advocacy across Western Australia, conducted clinical interviews and wrote forensic reports to the Department of Justice.

Jolene is experienced in perpetrator intervention research and training. She facilitated and coordinated the Connect and Respect, men’s behaviour change program for the Department of Justice. She worked with peak bodies implementing the COVID-19 response (funded through the Department of Communities’) to ensure perpetrator visibility across Western Australia throughout COVID-19 and into economic recovery.

Jolene has a track record for leading multi-agency and multi-disciplinary approaches to FDV intervention. Recently, she conducted research into supporting the Family Domestic Violence Response Teams (FDVRTs) and facilitated cross-sectorial professional development with Police (WAPOL), child protection and the Coordinated Response Service (8 specialist sector agencies).

As a leading Safe and Together trainer, Jolene has personally delivered CORE training to over 600 practitioners across Australia. She has also designed and delivered professional training in prevention, early intervention, tertiary intervention and perpetrator intervention for the Department of Communities, Justice Department and WA Department of Health. Jolene has also customised programs such as supporting children recovering from FDV and FDV informed practice supervision training. She designs and delivers a series of webinars across Australia.

Jolene has an impressive academic and research record. She has led national projects, including the evaluation and recommendations towards the ACT’s Family Violence Safety Action Pilot. Jolene is an active contributor to academic publications. She presents nationally and internationally at conferences and is invited as a guest speaker on live panels.

Jolene is well qualified with a Bachelor of Arts Education/Psychology from Edith Cowan University, A Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Studies and Human Rights from Curtin University; a Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy from Notre Dame; and a Professional Certificate in Childhood Trauma from the University of South Australia.