dr. MS (Melissa) de Roos

Biography

Melissa de Roos is an assistant professor forensic psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam and PI of RESOLVE lab. Her research focuses on various aspects of sexual violence, with a particular emphasis on child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offending and the prevention of non-preferential offenders. Her work also examines the impact of violent pornography on risk recognition and perceptions of sexual consent. Additionally, she investigates the role of mental health in predicting engagement with online incel communities, the function of violent rhetoric within these spaces, and the ways in which their discourse frames issues of sexual violence. Through this research, she aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the psychological and social mechanisms underpinning harmful sexual behaviours and narratives, with implications for both policy and prevention.