In a new research report, ‘They don’t understand abuse’, CWJ presents insights from survivors of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and women’s specialist services about police and prosecution practice when survivors are accused of offending, and recommends reforms.

Lisa Ellwood is serving a life sentence for murder – after a life marked by abuse, severe mental ill-health, and a trial in which the jury were denied the benefit of  psychological opinion evidence.  Her appeal will be heard on 26 June 2026.

ITV’s four‑part drama Believe Me, which airs from 10 May, is the true crime story of the legal battle fought by two survivors of serial rapist taxi driver, John Worboys to hold the police accountable for the failures in their investigation which led to well over 100 women being attacked before he was brought to justice.

The Director General of MI5 has apologised to a woman who was victimised by a neo-Nazi informant while he was working for the Security Service.  

We welcome the government’s announcement of new funding for women’s specialist services, and the Women’s Justice Board’s report and recommendations for reducing women’s imprisonment.

On 12 March at Lewes Crown Court Gerald Peck was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment for sexual offences and has been ordered to pay the survivor £10,000 to cover the cost of the therapy she has since needed.

The Ministry of Justice has announced their long-awaited plans to fund an independent legal advice service for victim-survivors of rape.

As we remember the horrendous events and revelations that followed the disappearance of Sarah Everard, five years ago today, Centre for Women’s Justice reflects on the changes that have been made to policing and the government response to violence against women and girls.

In anticipation of ITV’s new drama series ‘The Lady’ said to portray the ‘true crime story’ of a ‘rags to riches’ Royal aide of Sarah Ferguson, former Duchess of York, Harriet Wistrich, CEO of Centre for Women’s Justice, who represented Jane Andrews at her appeal in 2003, comments.

On 27 January, The Court of Appeal will consider legal submissions and fresh evidence in support of an appeal by Amanda O’Shaughnessy, who stabbed her violent partner, David Butterworth, in December 2014.

We welcome key commitments in the government’s long-awaited Freedom from Violence and Abuse strategy published yesterday. However, the strategy fails to introduce urgently needed protections for victim-survivors accused of offending.

We set out our expectations for how the strategy will approach criminal justice reform.

Soaring police delays have left over 37,000 survivors of sexual offences waiting for more than three years for their cases to be investigated over the last decade, according to survivor organisations launching a rare type of action against policing today.

The terms and conditions for the social media giveaway to win a copy of ‘The Escape from Kabul’.

Our new film ‘Fightback’, highlights the plight of women convicted of the murder of male partners who were violent and abusive towards them.

The terms and conditions for the social media giveaway to win a copy of ‘The Unthinkable’.

The Government has announced a series of reforms to allow rape victims a fairer hearing at trial.

Government commits to law change that will restrict victims’ previous experiences of rape and sexual violence being used against them in court.

Centre for Women’s Justice is delighted to see measures introduced by the government in the Crime and Policing Bill to disregard and pardon historic “child prostitution” convictions.