Helen Paterson, an associate professor in forensic psychology at the University of Sydney, has received recognition for her research into how memory functions differently depending on whether people witness single events or repeated incidents. Her work demonstrates that survivors of ongoing domestic and family violence tend to recall general patterns and consistent elements across multiple episodes rather than specific details of individual incidents, and may sometimes conflate one event with another.
The research carries significant implications for how victim-survivor testimony is treated in legal settings. Paterson noted that inconsistencies in recounting separate episodes are often used by defence lawyers to undermine overall credibility, yet studies show that while survivors may mix up which episode an incident occurred in, what they report experiencing actually happened. She emphasized a concerning finding: repeated-event witnesses are perceived as less honest and less credible than single-event witnesses, meaning those experiencing multiple instances of victimization face greater skepticism in court.
In recognition of her contributions to advancing police and court understanding of victim-survivor testimony, Paterson was awarded a Eureka prize on Thursday night. The Australian Museum Eureka prizes, established in 1990, honour Australian scientists and science communicators across 19 categories. Paterson expressed hope that the award will amplify victim-survivor voices and encourage greater support and belief in their accounts.
Other winners announced at the Sydney Town Hall event included Assoc Prof Jane Tiller of Monash University, recognized for driving national legislative change banning genetic discrimination by life insurers, and Prof Georgina Long, honoured for her pioneering melanoma research. Additional recipients included a CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology marine heatwaves forecasting tool, the Women’s Microbiome Innovation Group for discovering bacterial vaginosis transmission, and Prof Yansong Shen for developing a process to recover materials from used solar panels.
Australian Museum director Kim McKay stated that this year’s winners are addressing major societal challenges across environmental protection, healthcare advancement, public policy, and scientific inspiration. She emphasized that transformative scientific discoveries require sustained dedication, collaboration, and investment over extended periods.
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