A University of Roehampton Professor is among the 1,000 recipients of the Queen’s Birthday honours that were announced earlier this week.

Dr Aisha Gill, Professor of Criminology, has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services in tackling forced marriages, honour crimes and violence against women.

Her research has focused on health and criminal justice responses to violence against black, minority ethnic and refugee (BMER) women in the United Kingdom, India and Kurdistan.

Prof Gill has also been in several peer-reviewed journals in her career, including a first special issue on ‘Violence’ that she co-edited for Feminist Review and later published by Palgrave Macmillan, in March 2016

In addition to having been awarded Outstanding Impact in Public Policy by the Economic and Social Research Council in June 2015, she has also received the Asian Women of Achievement award in the Professional of the Year category in May 2011.

She said: “I dedicate this award to the memory of my mother, Surinder Kaur, and to all those women and children affected by gender-based violence and abuse."

“This award is yours, too.”

Prof Gill also briefly discussed necessary plans going forward to combat the both harmful and tragic situations that BMER women face, and said: “As an academic and grassroots activist, I remain concerned that we are not doing enough to address the pernicious levels of violence against women.

“We must commission dedicated services to meet the long-term requirements for supporting these women and their families to help rebuild their lives after suffering abuse” she added.

High-profile recipients include former Beatles band member Sir Paul McCartney and Harry Potter series author J. K. Rowling, who were both given the highest-ranking honour of Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour.

The traditional Trooping of the Colour parade at Buckingham Palace will be the centrepiece of the Queen’s official birthday celebrations this coming weekend (June 24 to 25).