CCCJ / Centre for Women’s Justice Webinar: 'Women Who Kill'

This webinar will explore the ground-breaking research published by Centre for Women’s Justice earlier this year and discuss the urgent need for reforms which it highlights.

The research examines why women kill abusive partners and the many ways they are failed by the criminal justice system - from the failures to protect women from abuse in the first place, through to the unjust punishment of women whose actions are motivated by self preservation. The research authors will discuss the report’s findings and recommendations with key academics and practitioners, and consider its wider implications for the criminal justice response to women whose offending or alleged offending arises from their experience of domestic abuse.

Speakers to include:

• Chair: Professor Nicola Padfield QC (Hon) - Professor of Criminal and Penal Justice, University of Cambridge
• Harriet Wistrich - Director of Centre for Women’s Justice and a solicitor who has acted for over 10 women convicted of murder who have appealed their convictions, including recently Sally Challen and Farieissia Martin
• Sophie Howes - Researcher and main report author
• Professor Loraine Gelsthorpe - Director and Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, with wide interests in the links between criminal justice and social justice, looking at race, gender and social exclusion, women and sentencing, and women, crime and criminal justice more generally
• Dr Rachel Clement Tolley - John Collier Fellow and College Lecturer in Law; Director of Studies in Law, Trinity Hall College, University of Cambridge, with interests in the effect of deception and mistake on the validity of consent to sexual activity in English criminal law, and non-fatal offences against the person
• Clare Wade QC - leading criminal defence barrister experienced in all types of work including murder, manslaughter and serious sexual offences at trial and appellate level in the Court of Appeal; Clare represented Sally Challen and Farieissia Martin in their appeals
• Katy Swaine Williams - Consultant at the Centre for Women’s Justice, leading the charity’s project to stop the criminalisation of survivors of domestic abuse

Register to attend