Patrícia Melgar Alcantud holds a PhD in Education from the University of Barcelona. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education —Social Work and Social Services area— at the University of Girona. She is the Principal Investigator of IGESI – Interdisciplinary Research Group on Gender and Social Inequalities.
Her main research areas include social intervention for the prevention and overcoming of gender-based violence, gender, and education aimed at overcoming inequalities. She has participated in numerous competitive research projects in these fields. She is currently co-leading the R&D&I research project “Children Living with Gender-Based Violence: Support Networks that Help Them Become Survivors (SURV_CHILD)”.
She is a member of the Editorial Board of the journal Violence Against Women (http://vaw.sagepub.com/).
Her most recent publications include:
Melgar-Alcantud, P., Natividad-Sancho, L., Merodio, G., & Garcia-Yeste, C. (2026). Contributions of the preventive socialization of gender based violence to the development of an educational strategy. Gender and Education, 38(2), 164–179. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2025.2544526
Melgar, P. & Sánchez-Miret, C. (coords.), Ballester, D., Fuentes, C., Geis, G., Hereu, C., Mut, E & Ougariyane, L. (2026). Infancia y adolescencia expuestas a la violencia de género: análisis del marco normativo y propuestas de actuación. Universitat de Girona. DOI: 10.33115/b/9788484587941
Roe-Sepowitz, D., Lantsman-Waugh, M., Puigvert, L., Merodio, G., & Melgar, P. (2025). Dating Violence Experiences Among Sex-Trafficking Youths in Juvenile Detention. Violence Against Women, 31(10), 2460–2481. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012241259716
Melgar, P.; Campdepadrós-Cullel, R.; Fuentes-Pumarola, C.; & Mut-Montalvà, E. (2021). ‘I think I will need help’: A systematic review of who facilitates the recovery from gender-based violence and how they do so. Health Expectations. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13157
Melgar, P., Merodio, G., Duque, E., & Ramis-Salas, M. (2021). “Petites Bonnes” minors sex trafficked in Morocco and Spain. Children and Youth Services Review.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105719
Valls, R.; Puigvert, L., Melgar, P., & Garcia, C. (2016). Breaking the Silence at Spanish Universities: Findings from the First Sutdy of Violence Against Women on Campuses in Spain. Violence against Women, 22(3), 1519–1539. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801215627511
She has also undertaken several research stays at internationally renowned universities and research centres recognised for their contributions to gender studies:
Department of Gender and Women’s Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison (2007). Center for Research on Violence against Women, University of Kentucky (2013). The International Gender Studies, University of Oxford (2013). Centre for Research on Families and Relationships, University of Edinburgh (2018). Gender, Violence and Social Change Research Group at the Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg (2026).
She is also actively involved in social movements working to advance women’s rights, particularly those committed to overcoming gender-based violence. She serves as Secretary of the Plataforma Unitària contra les Violències de Gènere.
Her extensive research career and social engagement were recognised in 2021, when she was awarded the Meninas Award by the Spanish Government Delegation in Catalonia.
Twitter: @PatriciaMelgar