| Suzanne Blackwell | |
| Thesis1 Title: | Child sexual abuse on trial |
| Thesis1 Url: | https://hdl.handle.net/2292/5756 |
| Thesis1 Year: | 2007 |
Suzanne Joy Yerex Blackwell is a New Zealand clinical psychologist, and holds an honorary position at the University of Auckland. In 2024 Blackwell was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to clinical and forensic psychology and the law.
Blackwell completed a PhD titled Child sexual abuse on trial at the University of Auckland in 2007.[1] She is an honorary academic at the university.[2] Blackwell is a clinical psychologist who works in the areas of child sexual abuse and professional ethics. Blackwell has appeared as an expert witness at a number of court trials, including that of Peter Ellis, where she was a witness for the Crown.[3] [4] [5]
Blackwell has researched how a juror's misconceptions about sexual abuse might affect their decision-making in court, and has provided expert evidence to courts on counter-intuitive behaviour in complainants, such as why complainants might delay taking action, retract their complaints, or might stay in contact with abusers.
Blackwell has chaired conduct committees for the New Zealand Board of Psychologists. She co-founded the Family Court Psychologists’ Specialist Report Writers Association. Blackwell was an editor and author of the 2018 Psychology and the Law in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In 2011 Blackwell was awarded the Ballin Award by the New Zealand Psychological Society for her contribution to clinical psychology.[6] In the 2024 King's Birthday Honours Blackwell was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to clinical and forensic psychology and the law.[7]