Shannon Murray

Research assistant at the Substance Use Research Group and PhD Candidate, University of South Wales
I am currently a doctoral student at Cardiff University conducting research into young gay and bisexual men's experiences of IPV and a research assistant within the Substance Use Research Group (SURG) at USW. We are working on a number of projects such as the evaluation of the Gwent heroin and crack cocaine action area, lessons from COVID-19 on substance use service provision, the impact of minimum pricing for alcohol on drinkers and their families in Wales and substance use and related behaviours among university students as part of the Higher Education Alcohol and Drugs (HEADS) programme.

I was awarded funding in 2021/22 in collaboration with Professor Katy Holloway, Dr Marian Buhociu and Visiting Professor Rhian Hills (Senior Drug Policy Manager for Welsh Government) from USW's Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Fund (KEIF) to undertake a feasibility study that focuses on substance use among LGBTQ+ communities.

Our research project focused exclusively on LGBTQ+ communities and sought to understand why some people in these groups use drugs and/or alcohol and why there is an underrepresentation of these groups within drug and alcohol services. It is important to understand the experiences of people from within the LGBTQ+ groups and to provide them with a voice, as they are at a greater risk of hazardous alcohol and drug use than heterosexual cis-gendered men and women.

From the findings of this important research, a staff toolkit was co-created for substance use services in the UK alongside staff from GDAS, using the responses obtained from participants. This is now being used by staff throughout GDAS' various locations in Wales.

I am really interested in making collaborative relationships and co-produced research. My research focus relates mainly to harm reduction and exploring stereotypes around hidden victims of domestic abuse (mainly LGBTQ+ and male victim/survivors) with the view of making real change in support services in the UK.