Shades of Grey - Domestic and Sexual Violence Against Women Law Reform and Society

Arguing that law must be looked at holistically, this book investigates the ‘hidden gender’ of the so-called neutral or objective legal principles that structure the law addressing violence against women. Adopting an explicitly feminist perspective, it investigates how legal responses to violence against women presuppose, maintain and perpetuate a certain context that may not in fact reflect women’s experiences. Carline and Easteal draw upon relevant legislation, case law and secondary studies from a range of territories, including Australia, England and Wales, the United States, Canada and Europe, to contextualize and critique different policy responses. They go on to examine the potential and limits of law, making recommendations for best practice models of policymaking and law reform. Aiming to help improve government, community and legal responses to women who experience violence, Shades of Grey – Domestic and Sexual Violence Against Women: Law Reform and Society will assist law-makers, academics, policymakers and a wider audience in understanding the complexities of violence against women.

Chapter 1 Introduction, Chapter 2 The Cultural Context, Chapter 3 The Indeterminacy and Discretion of Law (Reform), Chapter 4 Domestic Violence and Criminal Law Response, Chapter 5 Domestic Violence Civil Legislation, Chapter 6 Domestic Violence and Family Law, Chapter 7 Battered Women Who Kill, Chapter 8 Consent, Corroboration and Recent Complaint in Rape and Sexual Assault, Chapter 9 More on Myths and Indeterminacy in Sexual Assault Law, Chapter 10 Partner Rape, Chapter 11 Violence Against ‘Other’ Women, Chapter 12 Conclusion

Dr Anna Carline is a Senior Law Lecturer at the University of Leicester. She has researched and published extensively on the topic of violence against women. Prof Patricia Easteal AM is a Law Professor at University of Canberra. She was made a Member of the Order of Australia 'For service to the community, education and the law through promoting awareness and understanding of violence against women, discrimination and access to justice for minority groups.’