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Media Release

August 1, 2005

UniSA takes a deeper look at the changing lives of women

Whether you are a woman of 18 focussed on study, work or new relationships, or in your 60s and looking at retirement, caring for ageing parents, or coping with being alone - UniSA researchers are interested in the pattern of your life.

UniSA PhD student Robyn North is embarking on a major study to examine the importance of changes in women’s lives - in work, relationships and responsibilities - and how those changes may impact on their health and well being.

“This will be a broad study of women across SA and regional Victoria from which I hope to get a better understanding of their priorities and how those priorities change in relation to the stages of women’s lives,” North says.

“I want to get a realistic insight into what women confront today and how that affects them as partners, carers of children and family members and workers.

“What tends to happen is that we have set stereotypes of people’s lives and issues and often they don’t budge for many years. In the meantime societies change and evolve and the services we have in place are not necessarily meeting real needs.”

North says she will be interviewing women from different socio-economic backgrounds and rural and urban environments as part of the study.

“In a post feminist world, while we have a sense that much has improved in women’s lives, to some extent that perception is based on women from high socioeconomic backgrounds,” North said

“And while we know that social policies have given women new opportunities in the workplace and supports such as childcare, I want to get right down to an intimate level and see if that has led to greater equality.

“Anecdotally, you hear a lot of stories about women who in a bid to ‘have it all’ instead seem to be ‘doing it all’.
I want to test the stories and get a picture of what is really happening in women’s lives.”

The study will look at women aged 18 -25, 25-44, and women 55+. It will be based on confidential interviews with participants and each interview will take about an hour. More information about the study and how you can volunteer to take part is available by telephoning (08) 8302 4037 or by email to robyn.north@unisa.edu.au

 

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