Constitutional Rights and Criminal Justice Reform: Advancing Women’s and Children’s Legal Protections in Domestic Violence Cases (Keynote)

Constitutional Rights and Criminal Justice Reform: Advancing Women’s and Children’s Legal Protections in Domestic Violence Cases (Keynote)

In this opening keynote, constitutional law expert Wendy Murphy examines how the criminal justice system can better protect women and children in domestic violence cases through constitutional rights frameworks and systemic reform. Drawing on decades of legal scholarship and advocacy, Murphy explores the intersection of constitutional protections and domestic violence law, highlighting how fundamental rights can be leveraged to enhance victim safety and hold perpetrators accountable. This presentation sets the stage for the conference by addressing the structural and legal barriers that prevent effective responses to coercive control within the justice system. Murphy will discuss strategies for constitutional reform, examine landmark cases that have shaped domestic violence law, and propose innovative approaches to ensure that women’s and children’s rights are upheld throughout legal proceedings. This session provides essential context for understanding how legal frameworks must evolve to recognize and respond to coercive control as a serious violation of human rights and dignity.