Domestic Violence Symposium hosted by Richmond Law students will address progressive legal initiatives
September 23, 2009
Oct. 16, 2–5 p.m., Moot Court Room; 2.0 CLE Credits
Statistics show that one in every four women in America will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. These startling numbers do not include many victims who are afraid to come forward and ask for protective orders because so often, they do not protect victims.
A panel of experts and a domestic violence survivor will address, “What Have We Learned? A Reality-Based Approach to Addressing Domestic Violence through the Law” Oct. 16 at the University of Richmond School of Law. They will discuss progressive legal initiatives designed to more effectively address the persistent social problem of domestic violence. The event will be held from 2–5 p.m in the law school’s Moot Court Room, followed by a reception.
A keynote address by Diane Rosenfeld, a Harvard Law School lecturer and a leading expert in the field, will be followed by a panel including: Mary Langer, deputy commonwealth’s attorney, Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office; Mac Adams, domestic violence detective, Richmond Police Department; Stacy Ruble, domestic violence policy coordinator with the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, and a survivor.
Student leaders from Richmond Law’s Journal of Law and the Public Interest (JOLPI) are sponsoring the event to create awareness of the pervasive nature of domestic violence and call attention to improved forms of protection. New legal initiatives, such as GPS monitoring (global positioning system) of domestic violence offenders, are a being used in several states to enforce the terms of orders of protection. JOLPI law students believe that Virginia should consider its implementation as a potential opportunity to protect citizens.
Meghan Gehr, CLE Symposium editor of JOLPI says, “The symposium focuses on the use of GPS monitoring for offenders and looks at the implementation of it in various states. The panel will provide an opportunity for local practitioners and those affected — prosecutors, legislators, law enforcement, survivors and victims’ families — to discuss how GPS legislation could be initiated, passed and implemented and its potential benefits in terms of victim safety and increased offender accountability.”
The event is free and open to the public. It is co-sponsored by Richmond Law’s Journal of Law and the Public Interest, the law school’s National Center for Family Law, and the law school’s 16th annual Austin Owen Lecture Series.
Phone: 804-289-8056