International day for the elimination of sexual violence in conflict - ‘I would rather have been murdered, than endure what I did’
On 19 June 2015, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 19th June of each year the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, in order to raise awareness of the need to put an end to conflict-related sexual violence. Rita Kahsay, a young British Tigrayan activist, describes the current appalling genocide and use of rape as a war crime in Tigray
CWJ 10-step Manifesto: 10 - How perpetrators use the legal system to control women
Harriet Wistrich reflects on how perpetrators often misuse legal proceedings to seek revenge and silence their victims.
It’s time to bring an end to strangulation as weapon of choice for abusers
Is the new law going to make a difference to women’s lives or will it sit relatively unused on the statute books, like some of the other measures intended to tackle domestic abuse? CWJ’s Nogah Ofer discusses thel ong-awaited new law which comes into force force creating a stand-alone offence of ‘non-fatal strangulation and suffocation’
PR: Woman launches legal case against MI5 in relation to informant who terrorised her
Beth*, the former girlfriend of an MI5 informant who abused her with impunity as revealed by the BBC last night, has launched a legal complaint and claim in the Investigatory Powers Tribunal.
Deep Deception: Groomed, Gaslighted, Ghosted
..the idea that the state would invest hundreds of thousands of pounds into creating and maintaining a sophisticated operation that would place police officers deep undercover to gather intelligence on mainly left wing, environmental and social justice campaigns, was surely the stuff of fiction…
Fri Martin is free! Help us help other women. #GiveHerJustice
Fri Martin’s ‘story’ was last week featured on the BBC Three documentary entitled ‘Bad Love: Why did Fri kill Kyle?”. If the film had instead been entitled, “Bad Justice: Why was Fri convicted of murder?”, it could have shown how the criminal justice system is heavily stacked against women, and particularly black working class women
CWJ 10-step Manifesto: 9 - Direct criminal justice responses to those who pose real risk
Some crimes are far easier to investigate and prosecute than others, so what happens when the criminal justice system fails to prioritise risk of repeat offending?
Diversity in the Legal Profession - Mentoring the Feminist Lawyers of the Future
Back in Spring 2021, as part of our anti-racism strategy, we launched a mentorship scheme for aspiring female lawyers from Black, Asian and minoritised backgrounds. Vithyah and Jumaimah are two of the women we matched with a mentor and they’ve kindly written about their experience so we can share it with you.
CWJ 10-step Manifesto: 8 - Ensure victims who do engage with criminal justice processes are adequately and appropriately supported
Women sharing their stories and supporting each other from lived experience helped develop an understanding of the nature of male violence and what was needed to combat it both on a personal and societal level.
CWJ 10-Step Manifesto: 7 - End victim blaming and ensure equality before the law in the criminal courts
Nowhere is a woman’s experience of the criminal justice system brought into greater relief than when she reaches the court room, whether as a witness or as a defendant. Harriet Wistrich explores what needs to change to ensure proper equality before the law and end victim blaming.
The Time to Act is Now: A Migrant Survivor's Story
“I’ve been re-traumatised time and time again, and have been treated like a criminal rather than a victim. My movements are restricted, my privacy is gone, and I’ve lost nearly all stability in my life.”
CWJ 10-step Manifesto: 6 - “Lies, damned lies and statistics”. Understand the problem through research and the publishing of meaningful data
The publication of data informs any issue or problem in society and helps direct policy and action… But we know statistics can tell only a part of the story and often they hide just as much as they tell us.
CWJ 10-Step Manifesto: 5 - Make all criminal justice agencies properly accountable
One of the key problems with the ability of our criminal justice system to tackle violence against women is not the absence of good laws but the failure to implement them…
CWJ 10-Step Manifesto: 4 - Tackle Police Perpetrated Abuse
As a sexual predator and abuser of women, Couzens was far from exceptional…Even as a police officer murderer, Couzens was not unique.
CWJ 10-step Manifesto: 3 - End The Unjust Criminalisation Of Victims Of Abuse
When victims of crime are forced directly or through circumstances of being in a controlling relationship to commit an offence as part of, or as a direct result of their victimisation, why should they face arrest or prosecution?
CWJ 10-step Manifesto: 2 - Implement The Existing Laws And Measures Designed To Tackle Violence Against Women And Girls
Step 2: Implement the existing laws and measures designed to tackle violence against women and girls
CWJ 10-step Manifesto: 1 - Investigation and Prosecution
If we want to begin to address the horrific scale of male violence against women and girls we need an effective criminal justice response which acts as a deterrent.
CWJ Statement: The abuse of Azra Kemal and other victims by David Fuller
The team at CWJ are shocked and angered to hear of how Azra had been violated, following her death, by David Fuller, now on trial for the murders of Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce. The pain and the fury that all the families of his victims must be feeling, cannot be imagined.
Announcing The Azra Kemal Legal Internship Programme
We are delighted to announce the launch of a paid legal internship programme for women from Black, Asian and minoritised backgrounds.
