Dr. Elena Martellozzo is a criminologist and a senior lecturer. She is the Programme Leader for the BA Criminology and Lectures on subject’s related to Victimisation and Cybercrime. When Elena lectures she brings into the classroom her research experience which includes: exploring children and young people’s online behaviour, the analysis of sexual grooming and police practice in the area of child sexual abuse, online risks and victimisation.
In an innovative and collaborative partnership between operational policing and academic research, the first of its kind, Elena embedded herself into the newly formed London Metropolitan Police’s Paedophile and High Tech Crime Unit (2003-2009). She was given unprecedented access to documents, staff, and facilities enabling her to view and understand online predators in their ‘natural environment’. More recently (2016), she co-led a piece of research on behalf of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and Office of the he Office of the Children's Commissioner (OCC) on the impact online pornography may have on young people.
Elena is co-led a research project for the Internet Watch Foundation, evaluating key performance indicators and desired outcomes in safeguarding cyberspace from illegal content by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). Specifically, the research explores the links between the IWFs primary provisions, including Notice and Takedown (NTD) requests; the management and evolution of a URL black list; and IWFs effectiveness in and the provision of support to multi-stakeholders in securing and implementing a safe cyberspace. She is currently co-leading a large project funded by the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse.
The findings of her research inform her teaching, police and other agencies strategy and practice both in Italy and the UK. Elena develops and delivers training programmes for Prometeo (www.associazioneprometeo.org), an Italian leading charity who supports victims of sexual abuse, and police officers working in child protection. She works closely with the media and provides regular experts advice to a number of key agencies.
