INDIANA LAW JOURNAL

This article discusses the nature of violence against pregnant women and how traditional criminal laws have failed to adequately address pregnancy battering. Part I describes the nature of violence against pregnant women. Part II looks at the limitations of criminal law in response to pregnancy battering. Part III explores an alternative statutory framework that has been used recently to address violence against pregnant women in the US. Here, the author also evaluates the construct of the fetal personhood over time and argues that this concept has undermined the rights of pregnant women.

The author contends that the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) offers an opportunity to improve the working conditions of women in the member nations. The author provides several counter-arguments to the position that labour standards should not be included within trade agreements, and outlines labour issues of particular relevance to women.