SUE LEES 1941-2002

 

 

Carnal Knowledge: Rape on Trial  was first published by Hamish Hamilton in 1996. It was characterised by Helena Kennedy QC. as "A Clarion call for reform." 

The second edition was published by The Women's Press  in September 2002. The catalogue entry and a short extract can be read on the publishers web site and another extract here. Some reviews of both editions are available on-line: twbooks, and 'book of the month' on the Orange site

 

reviews of Sue's work
(under construction)

Links to internet material  mentioning or discussing Sue's work 

 

 

 

 

This page is dedicated to the work of Sue Lees who died of cancer in September 2002. She was a leading feminist academic, writer and campaigner and was Professor of Women's Studies at the University of North London (now London Metropolitan University). Her most well known work was in the area of rape and sexual assault. Her book 'Carnal Knowledge', first published in 1996, was instrumental in exposing the scandalous treatment of rape victims in the English criminal justice system. A second edition of Carnal Knowledge was published in 2002, just before her death.

The links below aim to provide access to reviews and reproductions of her work. They will be expanded as more material becomes available. 

obituaries and appreciations

Melissa Benn in The Guardian, 24th September, 2002

Margaret Bluman BBC Woman's Hour  25th September 2002 (audio)

John Lea, Sue: an appreciation  January 2003

Miriam David in Gender and Education  March 2003 (vol 15 no 1)

An excellent overview of Sue's work and its impact can be found in: Nicole Westmarland and Jill Radford (2004) 'In memoriam: Sue Lees: her life, research and influence' in Tina Skinner et al. Researching Gender Violence: Feminist methodology in action  Cullompton: Willan Publishing 

journalism

Sue was a frequent contributor to newspapers (especially The Guardian) and made numerous TV and radio appearances

BBC Woman's Hour. 17th September 2001  (audio)  

'Found Out At Last'. The Guardian , 25th September 2000

'What should you do if a man is about to rape you?' The Guardian, 20th August 2000

'Small Steps Toward A Fairer Law'. The Guardian, 7th April 2000

'Women When in Rome....' The Guardian ,16th February 1999

'The Accused.' The Guardian, 1st March 1999

'More Acquaintance Needed on Date Rape' The Guardian  6th July 1999

'Sex Crime: Institutional Mysogyny in the Police' The Guardian, 7th October 1999

Drug Rape Menace Growing (audio) BBC News 2nd December 1999

'Terrifying power that can turn civilians into spoils of war'. The Guardian, 1st December 1998

'A Fistful of Promises' The Guardian 16th April 1998

'A new rape law needed', The Guardian, 10th November 1997

'If a man kills his wife for having an affair, is it a crime of passion or is it murder? Scotland on Sunday  13th July 1997

Viewpoint: Professional man found guilty of raping prostitutes. The Guardian 25th March  1997

'Why are rape victims always denied a fair trial?'  Scotland on Sunday  21st April  1996

'Rape on Trial', The Guardian, 9th March 1995

'Counselling for Rape Victims', The Guardian, 29th September 1994

'How Men Get Away with It', The Guardian, 16th February  1994

'Resisting Sexual Harassment', Everywoman, September 1993

'Rape: a Case of Trial and Terror', The Guardian,  7th June 1993

'Up Front', (discussion of rape with Janet Sayers), Granada TV, 5th March l993

'Rape and Sexual Assault Research' in Criminal Justice Matters , No 5 (Winter) 1991

'Rape - Lessons Learned', New Statesman and Society ,12th January 1990

'Trial By Rape' New Statesman and Society ,1 December 1989

'Blaming the Victim' New Statesman and Society, 24 November 1989

'How Teenagers See Marriage' New Society, 27th June 1986

'How Boys Slag Off Girls' New Society 13 October 1983

'Hospital Confinement' New Society, 25th April 1974

 

this page has been visited - - times since 1st October 2003

 

writing and research

CHANNEL 4 DISPATCHES

Sue was a consultant for several TV documentaries made by Channel 4 Dispatches:

Getting Away With Rape (1994) which won the Royal Television Society Award for best home documentary. 

Male Rape (1995)

Men Behaving Badly (1997) (read a summary here)

Still Getting Away With Rape (2000) 

Sue's main academic publications

extracts from Sue's publications 

The Policing of Girls in Everyday Life

Deconstructing Masculinity and Femininity

War and Rape

The Representation of the Body in British Rape Trials

The Decriminalisation of Domestic Violence

Will Boys Be Left On The Shelf?

Television Research and Domestic Violence

Combating Violence Against Women

Marital Rape and Marital Violence

Health, Rape and Domestic Violence

Sexuality and Citizenship Education

Young Female Asylum Seekers

sue lees memorial scholarship

London Metropolitan University, Department of Humanities, Arts and Languages now offers the Sue Lees Memorial Scholarship, a research studentship and bursary in Women's Studies.

Proposals should be in the general research area specialised in by the late Professor Sue Lees, namely sexual or domestic violence against women, and the legal processes relating to such crimes, including policing, criminal prosecution and the judiciary. 

To discuss your application, contact Dr Helen Crowley, Women's Studies, Department of Humanities, Arts and Languages, London Metropolitan University, 166-220 Holloway Road, London, N7 8DB; tel: 020 7753 5019 For an application form contact: The Graduate School Office, London Metropolitan University, 166-220 Holloway Road, London, N7 8DB; tel: 020 7133 2962, e-mail: research@unl.ac.uk