Dr. Myrna Dawson

Biography

Myrna Dawson is a Professor in the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences at the University of Guelph, where she also directs the Centre for the Study of Social and Legal Responses to Violence (CSSLRV). Her research focuses on the trends and patterns of social and legal responses to violence, with an emphasis on issues related to violence against women and femicide. Since establishing the CSSLRV in 2005, Dawson has garnered funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation to support the center's research activities aimed at understanding and preventing violence. In 2008, she received funding to create and mobilize knowledge for effective violence prevention through rigorous research and knowledge exchange to inform policy and train future researchers. She is the Founder and Director of the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability and Co-Director of the Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative for Vulnerable Populations. Dawson served as a senior advisor for the Femicide Watch Platform and co-authored a background paper for Canada’s Domestic Violence Death Review Committee. An experienced speaker, she has presented her research at various international conferences across multiple continents. Dawson has authored and co-authored numerous publications, including works published by Oxford University Press and Palgrave Macmillan, and her research covers topics such as femicide, violence against women and girls, public policy, and criminal justice.

Research Interests