Feminist explanations of violence constituted the most significant theoretical development in theories of the causes of violent crime in Australia in the 1980's. The recognition that most violence is perpetrated by males has challenged explanations of violence developed in all criminological traditions. Theories that emphasize structural causes, micro-social and situational causes, psychological and individual causes, or biological causes should now incorporate gender as a theoretical construct, especially as males commit 89 percent of homicide, 91 percent of violent property, 90 percent of assault, and virtually all sexual assault offenders. Feminist explanations of violence draw on the social construction of masculinity in patriarchal societies; the preservation of male power, authority, and status over women is achieved through a socially constructed masculinity in which violence is an instrumental and expressive tool of oppression. The author considers the lack of critical analysis of crime prevention programs for Australian women, constraints imposed by theory, risk of victimization by violence, and the future of crime prevention programs for women. 75 references