Dr Juliane Kloess
- Senior Lecturer in Forensic Clinical Psychology (Mental Health & Wellbeing)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8342-7880Biography
Juliane completed a B.Sc. (Hons) in Psychology and M.Sc. in Forensic Psychology at the University of Central Lancashire. During this time, she worked in various mental health settings as a Healthcare Support Worker, including medium- and low-secure units and a hospital for patients with dementia.
Between 2010-2011, Juliane worked as a research assistant on a project that explored the nature and extent of (in-)direct aggressive behaviours, and the role of environmental factors, at Broadmore High Secure Hospital.
In 2014, Juliane completed her Ph.D. at the Centre for Forensic and Criminological Psychology at the University of Birmingham, under the supervision of Professor Anthony Beech, Professor Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis (University of Bath) and Professor Leigh Harkins (University of Ontario Institute of Technology). The title of her Ph.D. thesis is: An investigation into online sexual grooming and abuse of children via Internet technologies.
Between 2015-2017, Juliane was seconded to the child sexual exploitation unit at West Midlands Police as a postdoctoral research fellow as part of a research collaboration between West Midlands Police, the University of Birmingham, the University of Bath and Aston University.
In March 2017, Juliane joined the Centre for Applied Psychology (CAP) at the University of Birmingham as a Lecturer in Forensic Psychology. She was the research coordinator on the Doctorate in Forensic Clinical Psychology, the research lead for the two forensic practitioner doctorate programmes (the Doctorate in Forensic Psychology and the Doctorate in Forensic Clinical Psychology), a member of the CAP Research Team (working across the three practitioner doctorate programmes, including the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology), and one of two qualitative research tutors.
In February 2023, Juliane joined the Department for Clinical & Health Psychology in the School of Health in Social Science at the University of Edinburgh as a Lecturer in Forensic Clinical Psychology. She was the module coordinator of the forensic module on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, the course organiser of the new PGR course "Applied Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis", and the Deputy Director of the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Research.
Between 2023-2025, Juliane was a methods specialist with the Scottish Graduate School for Social Science's Training Network.
In December 2025, Juliane joined the School of Health & Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow as a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Clinical Psychology. She continues to support the Scottish Graduate School for Social Science's Training Network.
Juliane is a Co-Investigator on a large collaborative research project between the University of Birmingham, the University of Bath, Aston University, Imperial College London, and now the University of Glasgow. The research project is funded by the Home Office, and led by Professor Jessica Woodhams at the University of Birmingham. It looks at the design and development of approaches to policing child sexual offences, including decision-support for the prioritisation of individuals who are suspected of engaging in child sexual abuse.
Juliane is one of the grantees of the Safe Online 2024 Global Open Call (https://safeonline.global/meet-the-new-safe-online-grantees-2025/), and the Principal Investigator of the research project "The development of a multi-agency, victim-centred framework for responding to and supporting individuals who have experienced technology-assisted child sexual abuse (TA-CSA)". Professor Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis at the University of Bath is the Co-Investigator.
Juliane is the lead editor of the special issue entitled "The mental health needs of victim-survivors of technology-assisted child sexual abuse", to be published in Frontiers in Psychology in spring 2026: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/63191/the-mental-health-needs-of-victim-survivors-of-technology-assisted-child-sexual-abuse
Research interests
Juliane's main research interests are:
- Internet sexual offending/child sexual exploitation and abuse via Internet technologies/technology-assisted child sexual abuse (TA-CSA)
- Mental health and support needs of victim-survivors of child sexual exploitation and abuse/TA-CSA
- Problematic sexual behaviour in children and young people
- Sexual grooming, including legislation (i.e., Section 15 & 15A)
- Child sexual abuse material/indecent images of children
- Digital forensics/decision-making in digital forensics analysts
- Development of decision-support tools for policing
- Psychological impact of working with distressing material on law enforcement
- Working with emotionally demanding material/research across higher education and practice
- School-based education/intervention/prevention programmes focused on current issues (e.g., child sexual exploitation and abuse, county lines, knife crime)
Publications
2025
Porcelli, Carly, Anderson, Flora and Kloess, Juliane 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8342-7880
(2025)
Unravelling the complexities of offender strategies as part of online sexual grooming strategies and technology-assisted child sexual abuse: a systematic review.
Trauma, Violence, and Abuse,
(Accepted for Publication)
Alrajeh, D. et al. (2025) Data-Dependent Goal modeling for ML-Enabled Law Enforcement Systems. In: 48th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE 2026), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 12-18 Apr 2026, (Accepted for Publication)
Articles
Porcelli, Carly, Anderson, Flora and Kloess, Juliane ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8342-7880
(2025)
Unravelling the complexities of offender strategies as part of online sexual grooming strategies and technology-assisted child sexual abuse: a systematic review.
Trauma, Violence, and Abuse,
(Accepted for Publication)
Conference Proceedings
Alrajeh, D. et al. (2025) Data-Dependent Goal modeling for ML-Enabled Law Enforcement Systems. In: 48th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE 2026), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 12-18 Apr 2026, (Accepted for Publication)
Prior publications
Article
Kyranides, {Melina Nicole}, Marina Antoniadou, Kostas Papageorgiou, Kloess, {Juliane A.} (2025) Wellbeing and professional quality of life in police officers: Past adverse childhood experiences and current cognitive emotion regulation strategies The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1740-5599 (doi: 10.1177/0032258X251378945)
Zoe Alexander, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Michael Larkin (2025) An exploration of the personal experiences of forensic scene investigators' daily work: An interpretative phenomenological analysis Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Juliane Kloess. ISSN 0882-0783 (doi: 10.1007/s11896-025-09745-7)
Janice Tan, Zoe Stephenson, Kloess, {Juliane A.} (2025) Exploring the lived experiences of transgender women with previous sexual offense convictions in the community in the UK International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Juliane Kloess. ISSN 0306-624X (doi: 10.1177/0306624X251366280)
Lucy Swancott, Juliane Kloess, Stephanie Burnett Heyes, Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis (2025) ‘County lines’ and Child Criminal Exploitation in the UK Journal of Sexual Aggression University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1080/13552600.2024.2446826)
Alexandra Tsirimokou, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Stephanie Wilson (2025) Vicarious post-traumatic growth research: Methodological limitations and future research directions Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1092-6771 (doi: 10.1080/10926771.2025.2496250)
Olivia Parker, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, {Urquhart Law}, Gary, Sarah Saveker (2024) Making sense of adoption disruption: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the lived experiences of adoptive parents Children and Youth Services Review Juliane Kloess. ISSN 0190-7409 (doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107916)
Alexandra Tsirimokou, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, {Kaur Dhinse}, Sonia, Michael Larkin (2024) Experiences of burnout, post-traumatic growth, and organisational support in police officers working in specialised units: An interpretative phenomenological analysis Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1936-6469 (doi: 10.1007/s11896-024-09655-0)
Laura McMinn, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Zoe Stephenson (2024) Empowering young people with special educational needs (SEN) to recognize and report child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA): A mixed-methods review Trauma, Violence, and Abuse Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1524-8380 (doi: 10.1177/15248380231217047)
Kathryn Rowsell, Juliane Kloess, Samantha Fairclough, Melissa Colloff (2023) "Every Young Person is Different” Thames Valley Police Journal University of Birmingham.
Amy Burrell, Benjamin Costello, William Hobson, Ralph Morton, {Gutierrez Muñoz}, Carolina, Katie Thomas, Kloess, {Juliane A.} (2023) Being prepared for emotionally demanding research Communications Psychology Juliane Kloess. ISSN 2731-9121 (doi: 10.1038/s44271-023-00008-x)
Delfina Bilello, Swancott, {Lucy J.}, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, {Burnett Heyes}, Stephanie (2023) Adolescent risk-taking and decision-making: A qualitative investigation of a virtual reality experience of gangs and violence Frontiers in Virtual Reality Juliane Kloess. ISSN 2673-4192 (doi: 10.3389/frvir.2023.1142241)
Clare Strickland, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Michael Larkin (2023) An exploration of the personal experiences of digital forensics analysts who work with child sexual abuse material on a daily basis: “You cannot unsee the darker side of life” Frontiers in Psychology Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1664-1078 (doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1142106)
Hollie Richardson, Kloess, {Juliane A.} (2022) “It was different because I was a man”: A qualitative evidence synthesis exploring the lived experiences of adult male survivors of female-perpetrated intimate partner abuse Aggression and Violent Behavior Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1359-1789 (doi: 10.1016/j.avb.2022.101796)
Williams, {A. Jess}, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Chloe Gill, Maria Michail (2022) Assessing and responding to suicide risk in children and young people: Understanding views and experiences of helpline staff International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1661-7827 (doi: 10.3390/ijerph191710887)
Brown, {Kelly M.}, Kloess, {Juliane A.} (2022) Attitudes towards and perceptions of females who sexually offend against children: A comparison between students and professionals Journal of Sexual Aggression Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1355-2600 (doi: 10.1080/13552600.2022.2110292)
Alexandra Tsirimokou, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Dhinse, {Sonia K.} (2022) Vicarious post-traumatic growth in professionals exposed to traumatogenic material: A systematic literature review Trauma, Violence and Abuse Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1524-8380 (doi: 10.1177/15248380221082079)
Kloess, {Juliane A.}, {van der Bruggen}, Madeleine (2021) Trust and relationship development among users in Dark Web child sexual exploitation and abuse networks: A literature review from a psychological and criminological perspective Trauma, Violence and Abuse Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1524-8380 (doi: 10.1177/15248380211057274)
Simon Faghel-Soubeyrand, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Frédéric Gosselin, Ian Charest, Jessica Woodhams (2021) Diagnostic features for human categorisation of adult and child faces Frontiers in Psychology Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1664-1078 (doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.775338)
Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Jessica Woodhams, Hamilton-Giachritsis, {Catherine E.} (2021) The challenges of identifying and classifying child sexual exploitation material: Moving towards a more ecologically valid pilot study with digital forensics analysts Child Abuse and Neglect Juliane Kloess. ISSN 0145-2134 (doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105166)
Sarah Seymour-Smith, Kloess, {Juliane A.} (2021) A discursive analysis of compliance, resistance and escalation to threats in sexually exploitative interactions between offenders and male children British Journal of Social Psychology Juliane Kloess. ISSN 0144-6665 (doi: 10.1111/bjso.12437)
Jessica Woodhams, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Brendan Jose, Hamilton-Giachritsis, {Catherine E.} (2021) Characteristics and behaviors of anonymous users of dark web platforms suspected of child sexual offenses Frontiers in Psychology Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1664-1078 (doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.623668)
Hollie Richardson, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Asha Patel, Jack Farr (2021) How do young people who have experienced parental intimate partner abuse make sense of romantic relationships? A qualitative analysis Child Abuse and Neglect Juliane Kloess. ISSN 0145-2134 (doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.104942)
Hannah May, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Kari Davies, Hamilton-Giachritsis, {Catherine E.} (2021) Young people\textquoterights experiences of attending a theater-in-education program on child sexual exploitation Frontiers in Psychology Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1664-1078 (doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.609958)
Brown, {Kelly M.}, Kloess, {Juliane A.} (2020) The motivations of female child sexual offenders: A systematic review of the literature Aggression and Violent Behavior Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1359-1789 (doi: 10.1016/j.avb.2019.101361)
Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Michael Larkin, Hamilton-Giachritsis, {Catherine E.}, Anthony Beech (2019) Case studies of men\textquoterights perceptions of their online sexual interactions with young people: An interpretative phenomenological analysis Sexual Abuse Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1079-0632 (doi: 10.1177/1079063218769031)
Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Jessica Woodhams, Helen Whittle, Tim Grant, Hamilton-Giachritsis, {Catherine E.} (2019) The challenges of identifying and classifying child sexual abuse material Sexual Abuse Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1079-0632 (doi: 10.1177/1079063217724768)
Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Hamilton-Giachritsis, {Catherine E.}, Beech, {Anthony R.} (2019) Offense processes of online sexual grooming and abuse of children via Internet communication platforms Sexual Abuse Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1079-0632 (doi: 10.1177/1079063217720927)
Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Sarah Seymour-Smith, Hamilton-Giachritsis, {Catherine E.}, Long, {Matthew L.}, David Shipley, Beech, {Anthony R} (2017) A qualitative analysis of offenders' modus operandi in sexually exploitative interactions with children online Sexual Abuse Juliane Kloess. ISSN 1079-0632 (doi: 10.1177/1079063215612442)
Juliane Kloess, Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis, Anthony Beech (2017) A descriptive account of victims' behaviour and responses in sexually exploitative interactions with offenders Psychology, Crime & Law University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1080/1068316X.2017.1293052)
Juliane Kloess, Anthony R Beech, Leigh Harkins (2014) Online child sexual exploitation Trauma, Violence and Abuse University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.1177/1524838013511543)
Conference Proceedings
Vesna Nowack, Dalal Alrajeh, {Gutierrez Muñoz}, Carolina, Katie Thomas, Willilam Hobson, Patrick Benjamin, Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis, Tim Grant, Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Jessica Woodhams (2025) Towards user-centred design of AI-assisted decision-making in law enforcement EASE '25 Juliane Kloess.
working-paper
Delfina Bilello, Lucy Swancott, Juliane A. Kloess, Stephanie Burnett Heyes (2022) Adolescent Risk-Taking and Decision Making University of Birmingham. (doi: 10.31219/osf.io/ku984)
Other
Kloess, {Juliane A.}, Hamilton-Giachritsis, {Catherine E.}, Wade, {Marianne L.} (2019) Technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA): The flaw in the law Juliane Kloess.
Kloess, {Juliane A.} (2017) Understanding the dark web Garda Review Juliane Kloess.
Kloess, {Juliane A.} (2017) Study looks at the online sexual grooming and abuse of children Juliane Kloess.
Kloess, {Juliane A.} (2017) Preventing online sexual abuse: Understanding the problem as a first step to informing prevention Juliane Kloess.
Juliane Kloess (2017) Why teaching children about porn and sexting is a step in the right direction The Conversation Juliane Kloess.
Book
Juliane Kloess, Michael Larkin, Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis, Beech, {Anthony R} (2018) 131: Case studies of men\textquoterights perceptions of their online sexual interactions with young people: An interpretative phenomenological analysis Juliane Kloess.
Juliane Kloess, Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis, Beech, {Anthony R} (2017) 124: Offence processes of online sexual grooming and abuse of children via internet communication platforms Juliane Kloess.
Supervision
Open to PhD supervision enquiries in relation to the research interests listed above.
Completed doctoral research projects:
2025: Laura Steele; Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Edinburgh; Mental illness and offending: A systematic literature review of professional attitudes and an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the lived experiences of offenders with mental illness
2025: Olivia Shaw; Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Edinburgh; An exploration of the lived experiences of perpetrators and co-victims of relational homicide
2025: Emer Heffernan; Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Edinburgh; Reflective practice groups: Group processes and prison staff experiences
2025: Helena Goodman; Doctorate in Forensic Clinical Psychology, University of Birmingham; Offender modus operandi in illicit interactions with children
2025: Alice Forrester Fellowes; Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Edinburgh; The psychological impact and mental health outcomes of victim-survivors of technology-assisted child sexual abuse
2025: Anna Balmer; Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Edinburgh; The experiences of victim-survivors of technology-assisted child sexual abuse around accessing and receiving support from professionals and relevant services
2024: Laura McMinn; Doctorate in Forensic Psychology, University of Birmingham; Preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse in young people with special educational needs: A public health and child-first approach
2023: Alexandra Tsirimokou; Doctorate in Forensic Clinical Psychology, University of Birmingham; Vicarious trauma, coping and post-traumatic growth in professionals exposed to traumatogenic material
2023: Olivia Parker; Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Birmingham; Making sense of adoption disruption: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the lived experiences of adoptive parents
2023: Zoe Alexander; Doctorate in Forensic Clinical Psychology, University of Birmingham; The impact of working in a highly stressful environment on wellbeing
2022: Clare Strickland; Doctorate in Forensic Clinical Psychology, University of Birmingham; Understanding the impact of digital forensics analysts' experiences of working with online child sexual exploitation and abuse
2021: Janice Tan; Doctorate in Forensic Psychology, University of Birmingham; An exploration of the experiences of transgender individuals in the criminal justice system
2021: Rachel Oakley; Doctorate in Forensic Clinical Psychology, University of Birmingham; Long-stay service users: The role of index offence type and professional staff members' experiences of working with and discharging long-stay service users into the community
2021: Edward Howard; Doctorate in Forensic Clinical Psychology, University of Birmingham; An exploration of the experiences of mental health in homosexual Muslim men
2020: Hollie Richardson; Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Birmingham; The impact of (parental) intimate partner abuse on male survivors and young people
2020: Kelly Brown; Doctorate in Forensic Psychology, University of Birmingham; Female child sexual offenders: Exploring their motivations, as well as attitudes and perceptions held by professionals and students towards this population
Teaching
Research supervision of DClinPsy research projects (MRPs)
Professional activities & recognition
Prizes, awards & distinctions
- 2019: Early Career Researcher Prize for Use of Qualitative Methods in Exceptional Ways (British Psychological Society)
- 2016: Junior Award in Forensic Psychology for Work of Outstanding Quality and Innovation (British Psychological Society)
Grant committees & research advisory boards
- 2024: CSAM Indicator Area Advisory Group, Childlight - Global Child Safety Institute
- 2023: INHOPE, Schema Expert Council
- 2023: Police Scotland, Multi-Agency Preventing Online CSAE Group
- 2020: International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute, Expert Network Addressing Child Sexual Abuse
Editorial boards
- 2023: Child Protection and Practice
- 2023 - 2025: Forensic and Legal Psychology
- 2019 - 2022: Journal of Sexual Aggression
