Rating: ★★★★

Summary:

Genre: Non-Fiction

Publication Date:  2024

No. Pages: 328 Pages

Keywords: Insightful, Analytical, Powerful

Content Warnings: Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Crime, Police, Violence.

Format: Introduction, ten chapters focusing on specific injustices for women, followed by an epilogue, acknowledgments and further information (e.g. recommended further reading).

Review

The book is raw and full of candour. Wistrich packs in the detail that she had been privy to as a result of being by the side of the women on behalf of whom she advocates.

In her new book, Sister in Law, Harriet Wistrich recounts several cases in which the justice system has failed women. She explores the impact of archaic and defective laws on women, many of whom have been the subject of male violence or abuse.

 The book is raw and full of candour. Wistrich packs in the detail that she had been privy to as a result of being by the side of the women on behalf of whom she advocates. Whilst Wistrich explores the failings within the justice system, she demonstrates the fact that change can be brought and how one might go about doing so.

 Wistrich has had a vibrant and tenacious career. Towards the start of the book, she describes her involvement in campaigning for women who had been serving life sentences for killing their abusive husbands/boyfriends. Much of the campaign, and later the appeal of Emma Humphreys, focused on the need for the Court to consider the cumulative acts of provocation which can lend itself to the partial defence of loss of control notwithstanding the fact that the loss was not ‘sudden’ in the strictest sense. When Emma Humphrey’s appeal was won in 1995, Wistrich describes “any doubts about embarking on [her] new career” being swept away”.

 The cases featured in the book are renowned. They include the story and fight of several women involved in the ‘Spy Cops’ scandal, Sally Challen’s landmark ruling and the decision of the Parole Board to release John Worboys. I am reluctant to give further details in respect of the above – you’ll have to read the book for that. Suffice to say that the tales of injustice are intense and compelling, if also somewhat horrifying.

 One of the (many!) highlights of Wistrich’s career must be the creation of the Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ). Wistrich describes having a “vision of a legal charity that would tackle state accountability for all types of violence against women by undertaking litigation specifically aimed at bringing about systemic reform”. That is certainly no mean feat.

 CWJ has taken action on a number of high-profile matters – including the making of super-complaints in respect of police-perpetrated abuse which, of course, was thrown into the light following the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer, Wayne Couzens. Off the back of the momentum brought about by the conviction of Couzens, the atrocities of David Carrick came to light. Wistrich reports that CWJ “have been working with several of his victims to explore a claim for damages against the Metropolitan police”.

 The above constitutes a mere morsel of the work undertaken by CWJ – Wistrich goes into much more detail and explores the intricacies of the fight for justice.

 Whilst progress and hope is evident throughout Sister in Law, Wistrich remains mindful that there remains much work to be done. She concludes, at the end of the book that “ours is an ambitious project and change does not happen overnight. But when those sleepless nights strike, I remind myself of how important and rewarding this work is and how far we have come”.

The Round Up

Read If: you are interested in learning more about the (somewhat hidden) failings of the justice system and how the same can be rectified.

Similar Books: Misjustice - How British Law is Failing Women (By Helena Kennedy)

Written by City Girl

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