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CWJ North East of England Launch Event

  • Trinity Chambers Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3DE (map)

This event will bring together survivors, activists, women’s sector groups, academics and others concerned with violence against women and girls to explore with lawyers how to hold the state to account and challenge discrimination within the criminal justice system.

A series of panel discussions with opportunities to network and explore ideas for collaborative working:

Full programme:

Registration and coffee from 11.15am

11.45 - 1pm : Centre for Women's Justice and the Importance of Strategic Litigation

  Harriet Wistrich - Introducing the Centre for Women's Justice

  Dr Hannana Siddiqui - The importance of using strategic litigation in the BME women's sector

  Fiona Broadfoot - On challenging the recording and disclosure of criminal records arising from prostitution

  Cris McCurly - Using CEDAW to challenge the Govenment in relation to Legal Aid for victims of domestic violence, and how that led to the Rights of Women Judicial Review


Lunch


2-3pm: Getting Justice for Victims of Sexual Violence

  Caroline Goodwin QC - Prosecuting sexual violence including historical sexual abuse

  Dr Nikki Godden-Rasul - Alternative legal remedies for victims of sexial violence

  Harriet Wistrich - On holding the police to account on failures to investigate rape : the John Worboys case


3-4pm : Public law and third party interventions

  Umme Imam - BME women and children's public law, breach of human rights and the need to bring test cases

  Alison Boydell - Bringing a legal challenge against Sexual Entertainment Venue Licences

  Sarah Ricca - On third party interventions and ideas for CWJ to add value to litigation of public importance


The speakers:

  Harriet Wistrich - Founder of the Centre for Women’s Justice and a solicitor at Birnberg Peirce Ltd.

  Sarah Ricca - Trustee of the Centre for Women’s Justice and a solicitor and founding partner at Deighton Pierce Glynn.

  Cris McCurley -  A partner at Ben Hoare Bell and advisory board member of Rights of Women and Women’s Aid.

  Dr Hannana Siddiqui - Award winning freelance policy and research consultant with 30 years of experience on violence against black and minority women and girls, including at Southall Black Sisters.

  Dr Nikki Godden-Rasul - A lecturer in law at Newcastle University and researcher in the fields of rape law and policy.

  Alison Boydell - Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA), feminist campaigner and Co-founder of campaign groups JURIES and End Online Misogyny.

  Umme Imam - Executive Director of The Angelou Centre.

  Caroline Goodwin QC - Trinity Chambers.

  Fiona Broadfoot - Founder of Build a Girl and survivor of prostitution.

Time: 11.30-4.00, tickets £5