In India, sexual violence today is a routine form of violence directed against Dalit women--those from the most subordinated castes of India. Dalit is a socio-political identity affirmed by India's ex-untouchable communities, historically considered "service castes" and exploited based on their birth. While all Dalits are exploited for…

When establishing the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, President Obama reminded universities of their obligation to report accurate rape statistics to the Department of Education. Research has not determined, on a national scale, what factors explain variation in (under)reporting. Using data from 413 top…

Our society has long adhered to a double standard of justice, one for male offenders and another for females. This system survived with little controversy mainly due to the small female prison population. But recent events have drawn attention to not only the issue of female criminality, but to the treatment of women while incarcerated. Female…

The legal processes following a rape charge mortify, denigrate and transfer guilt to the victim. Rape laws reinforce traditional sex roles and restrict the options available to women in defining their personal and sexual careers. (Author/AM)

The factors which contribute to women's vulnerability to rape are a lack of information about and understanding of rape; women's subordinate relationship to men; socially reinforced physical weakness and passivity; isolation from other women; isolation in the community. Prevention means more than just reducing the incidence of rape or providing…

Violence against women is identified as an outcome of the social structure and ideology of gender domination, particularly related to reproduction, sexuality and nurturance. Feminist strategies to achieve liberation through the criminal justice system must take into account the limitations of its structure. (Author/JAC)

A review of current literature about the causes and prevention of violence against women is presented. The materials focus on the common theme of recognizing the victimization of women at all levels of society and include the following topics: (1) the history of violence and subordination of women, (2) sex role socialization, (3) sexism and the…

Discusses the establishment of a course on the victimization of women in order to facilitate dialogue on the subject and to lay the groundwork for a sexual assault center. Describes course composition, expectations, format, syllabus, group projects, and reading lists. Emphasizes feminist sociological theories of female victimization. Includes a…

Discusses rape prevention in the context of a problematic masculinity. Reviews conservative, mythopoetic, and feminist perspectives on masculinity. Proposes a feminist foundation for rape prevention programs for college males. (Author/KW)