Dr Freda Haylett is an expert in shaping education programs in Australian schools that support children and young people have healthy, respectful relationships.
Now a Research Fellow at the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research, Dr Haylett completed her Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) and PhD at RMIT University, graduating with her doctorate in 2017.
“As far back as I can remember, I have always been quietly outraged by inequality and unfairness,” she says. That early awareness, shaped by family values, continues to drive her commitment to addressing the systems that allow injustice to persist.
Gender inequality is widely recognised as a leading driver of sexual violence. Dr Haylett’s work centres building evidence for education programs that support children and young people to develop healthy understandings of consent, empathy and respectful relationships while norms and values are still being formed.
“Being able to give children and young people a voice in shaping sexual violence primary prevention in Australia is incredibly meaningful,” she says.
Dr Haylett leads the Education for Behaviour Change stream of the Partners in Prevention of Sexual Violence (PIPS) project. This work includes a randomised controlled trial across 12 secondary schools, alongside a longitudinal study in five others. She is also contributing to the evaluation of another primary prevention program delivered in both primary and secondary school settings.
These projects are delivered in partnership with organisations including Laurel House, Learning Consent and the Sexual Assault Support Service, and with government and non‑government schools across Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales.
Dr Haylett speaks candidly about the challenges of establishing an academic career while raising a family. She had her first child while completing her PhD, followed by two more children soon after, all while being their primary carer. Support and mentorship from colleagues, including Dr Jacqui Theobald, played a critical role in helping her see that she belonged in academia.
This International Women’s Day, balancing the scales means more than symbolic gestures. It means investing in prevention, listening to young voices, valuing care and education, and recognising women’s work - paid and unpaid - that sustains our communities. Through her work, Dr Freda Haylett is helping to tip the balance toward a safer, fairer future.
Learn more about Dr Freda Haylett’s research at ReGEN and through the ReGen network
