Emma Kavanagh

Dr Emma Kavanagh is a Reader in Sport Psychology within the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University. Emma's research centres on critically examining interpersonal violence (IV) in sport, safeguarding and violence prevention. Her work has focused on adult and young people’s experiences of abuse within the (elite) sport ecosystem, safeguarding, gender-based violence and mental health in sport. Most recently her work has introduced the topic of online abuse in sport, advancing understanding of the specific threats online spaces pose to athletes and wider sporting communities and how online tools can augment IV. Her work is focused on exploring and effectively safeguarding against modern threats to safety in sport. Her interests lie in early intervention and primary prevention, as well as education programme development on abuse in sport. She is an HCPC-registered sport and exercise psychologist with extensive experience working in high-performance environments, preparing athletes and teams for major global competitions, including the Commonwealth, Olympic, and Paralympic Games.