Eureka Prize honours research on memory bias against domestic violence witnesses

Sydney forensic psychologist Helen Paterson won the 2026 Eureka Prize for research showing that witnesses to repeated events — like domestic violence survivors — are rated less credible than single-event witnesses. Paterson found that merging episodes and recalling gist-like details reflect normal memory for recurring trauma, not fabrication. The work challenges assumptions courts and juries often bring to survivor testimony.