Aya Gruber, "The Feminist War on Crime: The Unexpected Role of Womens Liberation in Mass Incarceration" (U California Press, 2020)
Aya Gruber, a professor of law at the University of Colorado Law School, has written a history of how the women\u2019s movement in America has shaped the law on domestic violence and sexual assault.\nIn The Feminist War on Crime: The Unexpected Role of Women\u2019s Liberation in Mass Incarceration (University of California Press, 2020), Professor Gruber contends that the legal reform movement on sexual assault began with feminists in the 19th century, who argued in favor of temperance reform, partly in the hope that it would lead to less violence against women.\xa0She also argues that the social context in which sexual assault allegations were made in the 19th century, especially regarding African-American males and white women, influenced the outcomes in legal cases and divided the feminists of the 19th century.\xa0Professor Gruber also addresses the fissures created in the women\u2019s movement from the 1960s through today regarding how sexual assault should be treated under the law has worked against justice for both victims and their assailants.\xa0Professor Gruber argues that sexual assault law is premised upon erroneous beliefs about how men and women interact, the norms of nonverbal conduct, and the efficacy of punitive solutions.\xa0In addition to covering the history of sexual assault law she addresses how the criminal law might be reformed to meet the \u201cconvergent interests\u201d of men and women.\nIan J. Drake\xa0is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Law at Montclair State University. His scholarly interests include American legal and constitutional history and political theory.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices\nSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law