{"id":3124,"date":"2025-10-15T12:56:50","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T10:56:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marie-vincent.org\/en\/?p=3124"},"modified":"2025-10-07T19:59:36","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T17:59:36","slug":"portraits-of-research-leaders-mireille-cyr-martine-hebert-isabelle-v-daignault-and-marc-tourigny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/old-marie-vincent.agencearobas.ca\/en\/portraits-of-research-leaders-mireille-cyr-martine-hebert-isabelle-v-daignault-and-marc-tourigny\/","title":{"rendered":"Portraits of Research Leaders: Mireille Cyr, Martine H\u00e9bert, Isabelle V. Daignault and Marc Tourigny"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of Marie-Vincent\u2019s 50th anniversary in 2025, we launched a call for nominations to honour exceptional individuals who have shaped our history and contributed to our growth. Throughout the year, these inspiring figures are being highlighted on our digital platforms, as their names are permanently inscribed on the Wall of Great Contributors at our offices in Montreal.<\/span><\/p>\n

This time, meet four key leaders behind the Marie-Vincent Interuniversity Research Chair on Child Sexual Abuse, a unique initiative recognized for its cutting-edge expertise:<\/span><\/p>\n

Mireille Cyr<\/span><\/h2>\n

A prolific Quebec pioneer in applied research on sexual violence against young people, Mireille Cyr, PhD, has left an indelible mark on Marie-Vincent\u2019s history and on the international scientific community.<\/span><\/p>\n

In her cofounding of the Research Chair, she deepened our understanding of the impacts of sexual violence on children and their families, directly influencing intervention practices in Quebec. Mireille was instrumental in the adoption of the NICHD investigative interview protocol by Quebec\u2019s National Police Academy, an approach that strengthens the quality of testimonies while being more respectful of child victims\u2019 realities.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Full Professor in the Department of Psychology at Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al, Director of CRIPCAS (the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse), and Co-Chairholder of the Interuniversity Marie-Vincent Research Chair for 19 years, she helped position our organization at the forefront of scientific knowledge in this field.<\/span><\/p>\n

Through international conferences and more than 200 scientific publications, Mireille brought the research community together around compassion in supporting victims. Her contribution to Marie-Vincent also lives on through her generous mentorship of numerous professionals who continue her work with passion today.<\/span><\/p>\n

By inscribing Mireille Cyr\u2019s name on Marie-Vincent\u2019s Wall of Great Contributors, we celebrate an exceptional career dedicated to justice and childhood.<\/span><\/p>\n

Martine H\u00e9bert<\/span><\/h2>\n

Cofounder of the Research Chair, Martine H\u00e9bert, PhD, Full Professor in the Department of Sexology at UQAM, is an internationally recognized figure in research on sexual violence against young people.<\/span><\/p>\n

Among other things, she directs a research laboratory at UQAM focused on sexual assault and violence in intimate relationships, and also holds the Canada Research Chair on Interpersonal Traumas and Resilience. She is particularly known for her work on the diversity of profiles among young victims of sexual violence and has contributed to the design and implementation of prevention programs and services that foster resilience with trauma survivors. Through her innovative \u201caction-research\u201d approach and strong partnerships, she has reshaped intervention practices in Quebec and renewed our understanding of children\u2019s experiences. She co-edited the two-volume reference book L\u2019agression sexuelle envers les enfants, published by Les Presses de l\u2019Universit\u00e9 du Qu\u00e9bec. Martine H\u00e9bert has trained more than 90 graduate students, many of whom are now researchers or practitioners dedicated to the field.<\/span><\/p>\n

Through her initiatives, she strengthened Marie-Vincent in scientific excellence and social impact, driving intervention practices that meet the highest standards of justice and prevention.<\/span><\/p>\n

She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC), the highest academic honour in the arts, humanities, and sciences. Her exceptional career has also been recognized with the 2021 Excellence in Research \u2013 Leadership Award from the Universit\u00e9 du Qu\u00e9bec network, the 2021 Adrien Pinard Award from the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 Qu\u00e9b\u00e9coise pour la Recherche en Psychologie (SQRP), as well as the 2019 Excellence in Psychology Award from the Traumatic Stress Section of the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA).<\/span><\/p>\n

Isabelle V. Daignault<\/span><\/h2>\n

A clinical psychologist and professor at Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al\u2019s School of Criminology, Isabelle V. Daignault has dedicated her career to improving interventions for children and adolescents who are victims of violence, as well as their families.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 2010, she has first been an associate clinician, then a research associate with the Interuniversity Marie-Vincent Research Chair, actively advancing knowledge on sexual violence, its impacts, and possible recovery paths. She became a Co-Chairholder in 2024, allowing her to broaden her partnership and scientific engagement. She also worked as a clinician with Marie-Vincent\u2019s team for six years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grounded in clinical practice, her research focuses on better understanding optimal service pathways for child victims of sexual assault, on examining the mental health of families exposed to violence, and on clarifiying issues related to problematic sexual behaviours in children. She has also taken part in projects addressing violence in sports, a field she is particularly sensitive to as a former athlete.<\/span><\/p>\n

She directs the Laboratoire de recherche sur le Trauma, l\u2019Adaptation et les Violences Sexuelles chez les Enfants (TAVISE) and is a member of various research groups, including the International Centre for Comparative Criminology (CICC), the Canadian Consortium on Child and Youth Trauma, and the Kindex Research and Knowledge Centre of Canadian CYACs. She is also a member of \u00c9VISSA (Sexual Violence and Health Research Team), the Research Chair in Safety and Integrity in Sport (SIMS), as well as the Institut universitaire Jeunes en difficult\u00e9 at CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l\u2019\u00cele-de-Montr\u00e9al.<\/span><\/p>\n

Active on many fronts, Isabelle embodies a human yet rigorous approach, placing the needs of children at the heart of her work. Her contribution to Marie-Vincent is essential in continuously improving our psychological and socio-legal services, and in inspiring the next generation of professionals who, in turn, will be called to work with young victims.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marc Tourigny<\/span><\/h2>\n

Marc Tourigny is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychoeducation at Universit\u00e9 de Sherbrooke. He was part of the founding team for the Marie-Vincent Research Chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

A psychologist by training, he has dedicated his career to better understanding, preventing, and addressing violence against children. His research spans child sexual abuse, maltreatment, juvenile delinquency, parent\u2013child dynamics, as well as program evaluation in child protection services.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marc also played a key role in the evaluations that led to the creation of the Marie-Vincent Centre of Expertise in 2005. Moreover, he co-authored a landmark chapter in the collective work L\u2019agression sexuelle envers les enfants, published by Les Presses de l\u2019Universit\u00e9 du Qu\u00e9bec, in which he explores the scope of the issue, risk factors, and avenues for intervention.<\/span><\/p>\n

His recognized expertise and steadfast commitment to applied research have made a significant contribution to the development of services for young victims and to the advancement of Marie-Vincent\u2019s mission.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Science Serves Children<\/span><\/h2>\n

Since its creation in 2005, the Marie-Vincent Research Chair has been a powerful driver of social change, applying research to improve interventions for children who are victims of sexual violence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks to the visionary engagement of its cofounders and co-chairholders, it has led to intervention practices that are better rooted in the realities of young people and their families, while positioning Marie-Vincent as a leading force in scientific knowledge and innovation in child protection.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As part of Marie-Vincent\u2019s 50th anniversary in 2025, we launched a call for nominations to honour exceptional individuals who have shaped our history and contributed to our growth. Throughout the year, these inspiring figures are being highlighted on our digital platforms, as their names are permanently inscribed on the Wall of Great Contributors at our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":3125,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-07-31 20:42:24","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/old-marie-vincent.agencearobas.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/old-marie-vincent.agencearobas.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/old-marie-vincent.agencearobas.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old-marie-vincent.agencearobas.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old-marie-vincent.agencearobas.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/old-marie-vincent.agencearobas.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3124\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old-marie-vincent.agencearobas.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/old-marie-vincent.agencearobas.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old-marie-vincent.agencearobas.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/old-marie-vincent.agencearobas.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}