Women and crime

Witches in Scotland, the representation of women's crimes in the media and petty crimes of the 19th century are a few of the themes being examined in the current exhibition at the Lamb Gallery, as part of a citywide programme to celebrate the recent International Women’s Day.

Entitled 'Other Trace Evidence', the exhibition explores the role of women in historical and contemporary crime and has three themed sections: Our perception: Witches in Scotland, Investigating and Reporting, and Committing and Policing.

From Scotland's first policewoman who came from the Lochee area of Dundee, to the gruesome iron implement used to gag witches before they were burned, the exhibition presents an historical perspective of women and crime alongside work by contemporary artists examining this theme.

Lady Strathmore opened the exhibition and gave a talk on her ancestor Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis, who was burned after a forced confession from her son convicted her of treason and witchcraft. Sue Black, the University's Professor of Forensic Anthropology, also presented a lecture in which she gave an insight into infanticide and how it was reported in the Orkney case.

A crime writing workshop will be held on 31 March, followed by a panel discussion with Melanie Garret-Fraser, script writer and crime author; Dr Gail Low from the department of English; Marion Wynne-Davies, a member of the teaching team for the Women, Culture and Society course and Sue Black. The workshop will take place between 2-5pm and the panel discussion from 5-7pm, at the Tower Extension Lecture Theatre.

The exhibition runs until 23 April at the Lamb Gallery, Tower Building.