- Docente: Rossella Selmini
- Credits: 7
- SSD: GSPS-07/B
- Language: Italian
- Moduli: Rossella Selmini (Modulo 1) Stefania Crocitti (Modulo 2)
- Teaching Mode: In-person learning (entirely or partially) (Modulo 1); In-person learning (entirely or partially) (Modulo 2)
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: Single cycle degree programme (LMCU) in Law (cod. 9232)
Learning outcomes
In this class students will acquire knowledges and will become familiar with the issues of the gender gap in female/male participation to crime and in the different forms of male and female victimization. They will understand and critically discuss both theoretical approaches to the gender gap and will learn to answer some of the most important questions of contemporary criminology, related to the difference in male and female involvement in crime (as authors and as victims) and to gender violence.
Course contents
This course examines crime and criminal justice from a gender perspective, focusing on three main areas: women as victims of crime, women as offenders, and women’s experiences and roles within the criminal justice system.
Most classes will be devoted to the theoretical and empirical analysis of gender-based violence, with particular attention to violence against women and LGBTQ+ people. The remaining part of the course will focus on female offending—particularly women’s involvement in gangs and organized crime—and on the ways in which gender shapes women’s experiences within the criminal justice system, especially as prisoners and police officers.
The course is divided into two modules. Module 1 (32 hours) covers the core topics of the course, including an introduction to female victimization and female offending, gender-based violence, and women’s involvement in gangs and organized crime. Module 2 (16 hours) provides a more in-depth examination of selected topics, including criminal justice responses to gender-based violence, the social construction of the “ideal victim,” and women’s experiences in prostitution and trafficking.
More specifically, the following topics will be addressed:
1. Gender-based violence- The debate on gender-based violence: psychological, sociological, and feminist perspectives.
- Feminist criminology, intersectionality, and gendered approaches to crime and victimization.
- Forms of gender-based violence: homicide and femicide, sexual violence, physical and psychological violence, and stalking.
- Violence against LGBTQ+ people.
- Empirical research on female victimization.
- Prevention of and responses to gender-based violence, with particular attention to the role and limitations of the criminal justice system.
- The gender gap in crime and its main explanations.
- Criminological theories and explanations of female offending.
- Patterns and historical trends in female offending.
- Contemporary forms of female offending, with particular attention to women’s involvement in gangs and organized crime.
- Women in prison and the gendered experience of imprisonment.
- Women in policing and police organizations.
Readings/Bibliography
There are no Italian textbooks or comprehensive books on the subjects of this class. Therefore, the required readings are a collection of articles and books chapters that deal with the different topics separately, and that will be discussed in class.
Mandatory readings for attending students:
Creazzo G. (a cura di) (2013) Se le donne chiedono giustizia. Le risposte del sistema penale alle donne che subiscono violenza nelle relazioni di intimità: ricerca e prospettive internazionali", Il Mulino, Bologna - SOLO CAPITOLO IX di CROCITTI-ARCIDIACONO
Fadda M. L. (2012) “Differenza di genere e criminalità. Alcuni cenni in ordine a un approccio storico, sociologico e criminologico”, in Diritto Penale Contemporaneo, 29 settembre, pp. 1-33.
Boiano I. (2026) Dal consenso libero e attuale al ritorno alla volontà contraria, in Centro Riforma dello Stato.Ingrascì O. (2007) Donne d’onore. Storie di mafia al femminile, Bruno Mondadori, Milano, pp.1-90.
Pitch T. (2002) “Le differenze di genere”, in M. Barbagli, U. Gatti (a cura di) La criminalità in Italia, Il Mulino, Bologna, pp. 171-183
Istat (2015) La violenza sulle donne dentro e fuori la famiglia. Rapporto di ricerca, pp. 0-17.
Istat (2025) La violenza contro le donne dentro e fuori la famiglia, Rapporto di ricerca, pp. 0-14.
Saccà F. (2021) Stereotipo e Pregiudizio. FrancoAngeli (open access) SOLO I CAPITOLI 4,7, 8.
Mandatory readings for non attending students are:
Most of these readings will be available on the course web-site. A bibliography in English will be available for Erasmus students, under request.
Creazzo C. (ed) (2013) Se le donne chiedono giustizia. Le risposte del sistema penale alle donne che subiscono violenza nelle relazioni di intimità: ricerca e prospettive internazionali", Il Mulino, Bologna. Chapters: I, II, III, VII, VIII e IX
Lombardi L. (2016) “La violenza contro le donne, tra riproduzione e mutamento sociale”, in Autonomie locali e servizi sociali, 2, pp. 211-234.
Nuñez Paz A. (2020) “La ‘donna delinquente’: un percorso storico-teorico”, in Diritto Penale Contemporaneo, pp. 1-27
Fadda M. L. (2012) “Differenza di genere e criminalità. Alcuni cenni in ordine a un approccio storico, sociologico e criminologico”, in Diritto Penale Contemporaneo, 29 settembre.
Boiano I. (2026) Dal consenso libero e attuale al ritorno alla volontà contraria, in Centro Riforma dello Stato.
Gribaudo M. (2010) “Donne di camorra e identità di genere”. In Donne di mafia, Meridiana, n. 67, pp. 145-154
Ingrascì O. (2007) Donne d’onore. Storie di mafia al femminile, Milano: Bruno Mondadori, pp.1-90
Istat (2015) La violenza sulle donne dentro e fuori la famiglia. Research Report, pp. 0-17.
Istat (2025) La violenza contro le donne dentro e fuori la famiglia, Rapporto di ricerca, pp. 0-14.
Pecorella C. (ed) (2020) La criminalità femminile. Un'indagine empirica e interdisciplinare. Mimesis. Chapters: Pecorella (pp. 15- 33), Cardinale (pp. 171 - 181) and Binik (pp. 245 - 263).
Teaching methods
Lectures, also with guest speakers; in-class discussions and small groups activities. Audio -visual materials and case studies.This course is highly interactive: regular attendance and active participation in class are strongly recommended.
Assessment methods
Students’ knowledge and achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed through a three-hour written examination consisting of five short-answer questions. During the course, students will have opportunities to become familiar with the format and requirements of the examination.
The assessment will take into account students’ knowledge and understanding of the topics covered in the course, their ability to critically analyse theories and approaches to gender-based violence and other gender-related issues in criminology, the clarity and coherence of their answers, and their appropriate use of socio-criminological concepts and terminology.
For the grading, the following criteria will be applied:- basic knowledge of a very limited number of the topics, basic yet appropriate language: 18-19/30;
- knowledge of a limited number of topics, and use of a sufficiently appropriate language: 20-24/30;
- comprehensive knowledge of the topics, ability to autonomously and critically analyse theories and subjects, use of the required specific terminology and language: 25-29/30;
- extensive knowledge of the topics, ability to make connections among the topics and to contextualize them, to master the specific terminology and capacity of critical thinking: 30-30L/30.
Teaching tools
Power-point presentations, audio-visual materials (films, documentaries)
Office hours
See the website of Rossella Selmini
See the website of Stefania Crocitti