Chennai: The Department of Psychology, Stella Maris College, is hosting a three day 7^th International Conference & 11^th Biennial Conference of the Indian Society of Victimology in collaboration with the Department of Criminology, University of Madras, at Stella Maris College.

The three day conference inaugurated on 28^th February 2020 will continue till 1^st March 2020. The focus of the programme is victimology, the study of psychological experience of victims of crime, with special emphasis on the judicial, cyberspace and societal strands of it. The conference will include presentations of research on victimology. Participants of the conference can expect to learn about new findings in the field.

 

Attendees of the event are noteworthy professionals from the judicial field, esteemed scholars from across the globe as well as students from across the country. The Hon’ble Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi, Chief Justice, High Court of Madras delivered the inaugural address and the special address was presented by Dr. Pinaki Chakraborty, Chief of Social Policy, UNICEF.

 

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi mentioned in his inaugural speech that study of Victimology is the need of the hour. He said he hopes that the members of the conference will delve into the problem and come up with viable solutions to the new and emerging forms of victimization.

Ms. Mary Shantha Joseph, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Stella Maris College, stated that “Conferences such as these have become even more important at present, given tumultuous times in understanding and addressing problems faced by victims from sociocultural, physical, emotional and financial standpoints”.

Dr. M. Srinivasan, Professor and Head, Department of Criminology, University of Madras, expressed his belief that the conference will provide a platform for knowledge sharing for young as well as experienced researchers. He also stressed upon the society’s responsibility to protect the vulnerable.

Concluding the inaugural programme, the Professor K. Chockalingam Award & the Fellowship Awards of the ISV were awarded.

The second and third day of the conference will include eleven parallel sessions and three plenary sessions with presentations from professionals in the field of law, notable academicians, and students, that will focus on the effect of cybercrime, human trafficking, and other crimes, on victims from psychological and judicial perspectives.

The valedictory address on 1^st March 2020 will be presented by Dr. Shekhar Seshadri, Senior Professor, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS).