MsVita Pilkington

I was a member of the Graduate Research Committee in the Centre for Youth Mental Health (University of Melbourne) for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 years. I acted as Graduate Research Representative in 2024-2025, acting as the voice for graduate researchers in committee meetings and organising professional development activities for this cohort.

I am a member of the RESTORE Centre for Research Excellence's communtiy of scholars. RESTORE is funded by the NHMRC (AUD 3 million; November 2024-October 2029). The centre aims to transform health systems so they can restore wellbeing and enhance access to healing for victim-survivors of sexual violence in adulthood.

This webinar explores boys and mens disclosure of sexual trauma, drawing on findings from a recent systematic review examining barriers and facilitators that shape disclosure of sexual abuse and assaults among boys and men. Attendees will gain an overview of what is currently known about disclosure and help-seeking in this population, including key challenges that contribute to non-disclosure and long delays until disclosure, as well as the factors that can motivate and facilitate disclosure. Barriers are presented across individual-level, relational, systemic/institutional, and sociocultural domains, shifting the focus away from individual responsibility and towards broader spheres of influence. This includes discussion of how tensions between victimisation and traditional masculine norms can inhibit disclosure, and current limitations in service accessibility and practitioner education and support. Practical strategies for supporting boys and men to feel safe to disclose and seek support are offered, alongside examples of tailored support services for boys and men who are victim-survivors.

This online activity presented recent research on the mental, social, and emotional challenges faced by young athletes entering elite-level sport. It outlined key risk factors for mental ill-health during this transition and introduce a framework for supporting athlete wellbeing, grounded in holistic and developmental perspectives. Preventative strategies were discussed to help coaches, support staff, and organisations create environments that promote mental health and enable young athletes to thrive throughout their sporting careers.