Established in 2005, the Centre for the Study of Social and Legal Responses to Violence focuses its research activities on understanding the impacts of social and legal responses to violence. Dr. Dawson, with her research associates, collaborators, graduate and undergraduate students are working to create, mobilize, and promote new and existing knowledge about effective responses to violence through systematic and rigorous research. It is hoped that their research will inform public policy that seeks to reduce and prevent violence and, further, that the skills gained by new and emerging researchers working at the Centre will help sustain violence prevention research in the years to come. Particular research emphasis is placed on various forms of violence against women including intimate partner violence and sexual violence for which there is growing recognition that collaborative, multi-sector responses are required if prevention initiatives are to be effective. The Centre and its researchers have developed numerous networks with community, government and academic agencies and individuals through which their knowledge is enhanced by sharing and integrating multiple perspectives on violence prevention.
