Violence, Women and the Law

This subject is not offered in 2008.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This course examines the role of law in responding to the issue of violence against women. The subject reviews current data, theory and typologies of gendered violence. It will examine a range of regulatory strategies. The emphasis may vary from year to year. The range of responses examined will be selected from criminal law, family law, tort law and international law. The subject will explore the historical development of policy responses and include an examination of contemporary and innovative approaches to violence against women.

Topics will be chosen from the following areas: (i) terminology and classification; (ii) available data on prevalence and impact of violence; (iii) theoretical perspectives and critiques; (iv) the political, social and economic context; and (v) law's role in regulating violence.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of the subject, students should have developed the following generic skills:

• attitudes towards knowledge that include ethics associated with knowledge creation and usage
• the capacity for close reading and analysis of a range of sources
• the capacity for critical and independent thought and reflection
• the capacity to solve problems, including through the collection and evaluation of information
• the capacity to communicate, both orally and in writing
• the capacity to plan and manage time
• intercultural sensitivity and understanding
• sensitivity and understanding of issues confronting women affected by violence

In addition, on completion of this subject students should have developed the following skills specific to the discipline of law:

• case reading and analysis, including an ability to:
  • extract important features from judgments;
  • reconcile judgments;
  • evaluate the development of legal principles; and
  • apply legal principles arising from case law to new situations;
• statutory reading, interpretation and analysis, including an ability to:
  • extract important features from statutes;
  • evaluate the development of statutory rules; and
  • use, interpret and apply statutory provisions to new situations.
• understanding of law reform processes;
• ability to apply theoretical perspectives to a practical problem.