Diana Russell

Diana E. H. Russell, PhD, (November 6, 1938 – July 28, 2020) was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. She was a distinguished feminist scholar, writer, and activist whose work has profoundly impacted the understanding and prevention of violence against women and girls. Russell was born into a politically active family; her South African father became a Member of Parliament in 1945, and her British mother, who initially traveled to South Africa to teach elocution and drama, dedicated herself to raising their family. In 1976, Dr. Russell redefined the term ‘femicide’ to mean “the killing of females by males because they are female.”

Russell’s journey into feminist activism began with her academic pursuits. After graduating with a B.A. from the University of Cape Town, she moved to England in 1957, earning a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Science and Administration from the London School of Economics. Her academic excellence earned her the top student prize in 1961, propelling her towards a Ph.D. program in the United States.

In 1963, Russell’s activism took a radical turn when she joined the African Resistance Movement (ARM), an underground organization fighting against apartheid in South Africa. Her involvement in this revolutionary group, dedicated to non-violent sabotage, marked a significant departure from her earlier engagement in peaceful protests.

Russell relocated to the United States in 1963, where she pursued interdisciplinary graduate studies at Harvard University, later shifting her focus to sociology and the study of revolution. She completed her dissertation at Princeton University while serving as a Research Associate. In 1968, she married an American psychologist and secured a position as an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Mills College in Oakland, California, in 1969.

At Mills College, Russell co-taught one of the first women’s studies courses in the United States, significantly contributing to the feminist movement. Her 1975 book, ‘The Politics of Rape’, was among the first to analyze rape through a feminist lens, arguing that rape is an act of conformity to masculine ideals rather than a deviant behavior.

Russell’s pioneering research included a comprehensive study on the prevalence and effects of rape and incest, resulting in influential works such as ‘Rape in Marriage’ (1982) and ‘The Secret Trauma: Incest in the Lives of Girls and Women’ (1986). Her work earned the prestigious C. Wright Mills Award and provided groundbreaking insights into the underreported incidence of sexual violence.

In addition to her research, Russell co-founded Women Against Violence in Pornography and Media (WAVPM) in 1977 and was a leading voice against pornography. Her anthology ‘Making Violence Sexy: Feminist Views on Pornography’ (1993) and ‘Against Pornography: The Evidence of Harm’ (1994) further cemented her role as a critical feminist thinker.

Russell’s activism extended globally, as seen in her 1989 book ‘Lives of Courage: Women for a New South Africa’, which documented the experiences of revolutionary women in the anti-apartheid struggle. She also organized the first feminist International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women in Brussels in 1976, an event heralded by Simone de Beauvoir as the beginning of the radical decolonization of women.

After decades of research, writing, and activism, Russell has recently turned to memoir writing, aiming to uncover the personal motivations behind her lifelong dedication to combating male violence and sexual abuse. Her extensive body of work continues to influence feminist thought and advocacy worldwide.