Sexual Violence in Australia, 1970s–1980s

Lisa Featherstone is an Australian historian and Head of History in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, University of Queensland, Australia. Her work focuses on sexuality, medicine and the law. She is interested in the ways these authoritative discourses intersect around the body, in particular around sexual violence. Featherstone has published widely on sexual crimes, including child sexual abuse and rape in marriage. She is the author of two previous monographs, Let’s Talk About Sex: Histories of Sexuality in Australia from Federation to the Pill, and Sex Crimes in the 1950s (co-authored with Andy Kaladelfos). The latter was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Prize. She has published extensively in international and local journals in history and gender studies, including articles in Gender and History, Women’s History Review, Feminist Legal Studies, Australian Historical Studies and The Journal of the History of Sexuality.

• 1. Introduction: Sexual violence.- 2. The problem of rape.- 3. Rape and Culture in the 1970s.- 4. What to do with the Victims?.- 5. Rape law reform in the 1970s and 1980s.- 6. Reconceptualising Child Sexual Assault in the 1980s.- 7. Child Sexual Assault in Institutions.- 8. Institutions: Disclosure and Failure To Act.- 9. The 1980s Courtroom.- 10. The 1980s Courtroom.- 11. Conclusion: The Failure of Change.