Patricia Easteal

Biography

Prof Easteal has written or edited 17 books and over 180 academic journal articles, book chapters and government reports that have brought to light various issues relating to the legal system and justice for women and other minorities. Her primary focus is violence against women. Prof Easteal's research is approached from an interdisciplinary perspective. She investigates the context of the law and how media, language, and cultural values affect the substance and practice of the law, specifically in the areas of criminal law, family law, discrimination law, and immigration law. Her research record is evident in terms of quantity, international reach and academic and 'real world' impact/quality. Important aspects of her research are its applicability to real life issues such as law reform, policy-making, sentencing and the nexus of her research with her teaching. Primary areas of impact and research have been: women who kill a violent partner; partner rape; sexual assault law reform and its limitations; manifestations of domestic violence and legal response including civil, criminal, family and immigration with a focus on migrant and indigenous women; and workplace sexual harassment and bullying and legal response.

Research Interest

Areas of Research Interest Women and the law Violence against women Family law Discrimination and the law Access to justice Research Theories / Models of Interest Sociology of Law Feminism Intersectionality Research Methods of Interest Legal judgment analysis In depth Interviews Email interviews Surveys Qualitative media analysis