The University will be presenting Dr Aisha Gill with the Alumna of the Year award this year’s Graduation in July.

Dr Gill is a Reader in Criminology at University of Roehampton and is a respected activist and academic addressing violence against black, minority ethnic, and refugee women in the UK, India and Iraqi Kurdistan.

She has provided expert advice to the Government, Ministry of Justice, Scotland Yard, Crown Prosecution Service, and the voluntary sector on legal policy issues related to so-called ‘honour’ killings and forced marriage, and has challenged politicians to be more inclusive of black and minority ethnic women's voices in policy-making on issues of gender-based violence and human rights. She is often in the news as a commentator on forced marriage, violence against women and so-called ‘honour’ killings and writes for mainstream popular as well as academic audiences.

Dr Gill, who gained a PhD Sociology in 2002 at Essex, won Professional of the Year at the 2011 Asian Women of Achievement Awards, which recognise professional women who have become leading practitioners in their fields.