VCST 4390:
Violence Against Women
I am so excited you are here!!
This site is your guide to Violence Against Women. To get started, watch this short video (6 minutes) about the course.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
1) Explain how the gendered and intersectional realities of women shape their victimization and experiences in the criminal legal system
2) Discuss the specific needs of women related to gender and trauma-responsive care
Syllabus!
I know, many of us dread reading a long text-heavy document with a bunch of rules and policies. I promise (like most of my teaching) this syllabus is different from what you are probably used to! Below are links with information pertaining to the course content, what you need to complete the course, and expectations and resources.
This format might be a little overwhelming and different from what you are used to, so I also give you a brief one-page abbreviated syllabus with a summary.
VCST4390 Syllabus Fall 2024.pdfGetting Started
Achievement of the learning objectives will be measured through the following assignments/activities (click the links for more detail on each assignment):
Learning Reflections in your E-Portfolio (620 points)
Discussions (275 points)
Final Project: Social Media Campaign OR Infographic (105 points)
Total: 1,000 points
When are assignments/discussions due each week?
All assignments are best by Wednesdays 11:59pm.
Here is a broad schedule of activities. Click here to make a copy and check items off as you complete them!
Are there live (online or in-person) sessions?
No, this class is fully online. I will offer communal Zoom sessions throughout the term. These are not scheduled and will not be required.
Is there a required textbook?
There is no textbook for this class. I personally build all the material for the course myself based on the most current research and resources. All reading material will be available in our Blackboard course (open access). There are several required readings and videos. All links are located in the associated modules on Blackboard.
We will read chapters from this book, but I provide PDFs of them on Blackboard. You are welcome to purchase the whole book if you like (about $10). It is very good!
INSIDE THIS PLACE, NOT OF IT: NARRATIVES FROM WOMEN’S PRISONS
Ebook also available
Inside This Place, Not of It reveals some of the most egregious human rights violations within women’s prisons in the United States. In their own words, the thirteen narrators in this book recount their lives leading up to incarceration and their experiences inside—ranging from forced sterilization and shackling during childbirth, to physical and sexual abuse by prison staff. Together, their testimonies illustrate the harrowing struggles for survival that women in prison must endure.
I chose this book because their stories highlight how gendered victimization and untreated trauma led to their system-involvement. Then, once in the system, not only was their trauma not addressed, but symptoms were often worsened by the caceral system.
