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2022-03-31-accounts

ANNUALREPORT 2021122 ril',I,' .rii entre for Women's Justice VVJ

KEY INFORMATION

CONTENTS

STRATEGIC REPORT THE YEAR AHEAD RESERVES POLICY

AUDIT REPORT

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITES

CASH FLOW STATEMENT

KEY INFORMATION

Centre for Women’s Justice Charitable Incorporated Organisation Oxford House Derbyshire Street Charity Number: 1169213 London E2 6HG www.centreforwomensjustce.org.uk info@centreforwomensjustce.org.uk

Trustees: Sasha Deepwell (Chair) Sarah Ricca Fiona MacKenzie (Treasurer) Janice Turner Heather Harvey Esohe Aghatise Sanchita Hosali Samira Ahmed Yasmin Rehman Davina James-Hanman*

*temporarily stepped down July ‘22 - Oct ‘22)

Key Management: Harriet Wistrich (Director)

Bankers: CafBank Limited, PO BOX 289, West Malling ME19 4TA

Governance & Management:

The charity is operated under the rules of its constitution adopted 17/03/2016.

1) Apart from the first three charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolutions passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees.

2) In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experiences needed for the effective administration of the CIO.

Objectives & Activities:

To advance the human rights of women and girls in England and Wales (as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent United Nations conventions and declarations) by: seeking to prevent violence against women and girls, and protect those rights which are adversly impacted by violence against women and girls; and the elimination of discrimination against women and girls in the criminal justice system.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit:

Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ) provides benefits to women and girls who have been, or may in the future be, subject to male violence. We assist with providing access to justice for those who have been failed by the state and subject to discriminatory treatment within the criminal justice system.

Public benefit statement:

The Trustees confim that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit, ‘Charities and Public Benefit’.

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INTRODUCTION

Harriet Wistrich, Director

The year has been dominated in the news by the aftermath of the murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021, and other high-profile murders of women, which has led to a media focus on misogyny, police perpetrators and more generally violence against women. CWJ’s unique expertise on the intersection of violence against women and state accountability, means we have been inundated with requests from the media and politicians to provide evidence of issues relevant to this national conversation. We have continued to develop our expertise in police perpetrated domestic abuse, since our police super-complaint on this subject, and have gathered significant further evidence from the large number of women who have approached us to share their experience.

We have also made great progress with the work on unjust criminalisation of survivors of abuse, continuing to disseminate learning from the ‘women who kill’ report and publishing a new report, ‘Double Standard’, which was launched at a high-level virtual summit. Work has begun on the development of an international feminist lawyers’ network which will enable us to expand our knowledge and capacity whilst sharing expertise with others doing similar work in different areas of the globe.

Sasha Deepwell, Chair

CWJ continues to punch above its weight, making a significant impact in bringing legal expertise to violence against women and the criminal justice system. The work of the dedicated staff team continues to expand and develop, filling spaces of unmet need. The team should feel incredibly proud of what

they have achieved this year.

The board has worked closely with the organisation’s team to develop our next threeyear strategic plan. This plan seeks to build on, and develop, the vision and the outcomes identified back in 2018, reflecting not only the changed context of the last three years but also the learning and experience that has come out of CWJ’s work over the previeous three-year period.

The trustees are now focussed on reviewing the internal infrastructure and capacity, to ensure that the organisation remains robust, efficient, flexible and sustainable.

The board would like to thank CWJ’s many clients, funders, staff, volunteers and supporters for their unwavering commitment to CWJ and to justice for women and girls.

Strategic litigation has resulted in some significant settlements, including a historic apology from the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester police for the harm caused to victims of child sexual exploitation. Our training and enquiries work continues to expand, with the feedback from women’s sector organisations and their clients being incredibly posistive. Our femicide working group has led to a number of important initiatives, including contributing towards the development of a femicide oversight mechanism and developing expertise on suicides in the context of domestic abuse.

We were delighted to recruit our first two paid interns for the Azra Kemal Legal Internship Programme and were inundated with passionate feminist applicants.

We continue to be well supported by our Trustees as we embark on a review of infrastructure and staff benefits.

24 / 01 / 2023

Sasha Deepwell

Harriet Wistrich

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STRATEGIC REPORT ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2021/2022

STRATEGIC LITIGATION

Undertaking strategic litigation and providing access to legal assistance in cases concerning violence against women (VAWG)

We bring challenges that have the potential to impact on how the state deals with perpetrators and survivors of violence against women and girls. These cases help develop and strengthen rights across a broad spectrum of issues.

We are involved in many highly publicised legal challenges, which have evolved through our advice work and in partnership with women sector organisations:

Civil Claim Against Gwent Police

CWJ acted for two former Gwent police officers (known as ‘Jodie’ & ‘Sarah’), who had been subjected to domestic violence by a senior police officer who had targeted and groomed them into relationships with him. They both reported their abuser, PC Clarke Joslyn, but their allegations were not properly investigated, and instead they were subject to victimisation by colleagues of Joslyn, and left unsupported. It later transpired that several other women had also been victimised by Joslyn, over a period of years, yet he remained a serving officer with easy access to young female trainees until misconduct proceedings were finally brought against him in 2018. He resigned shortly before a panel found his conduct amounted to gross misconduct at a hearing in 2019.

In August 2021, our clients received a personal apology from Deputy Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman of Gwent police as part of a wider settlement of a civil claim for damages brought by the two women raising issues of negligence.

“It took all of my strength and courage for me to report these crimes back in 2012. When I wasn’t taken seriously, my confidence and trust were shattered beyond repair. I was left not only feeling worthless but also that my integrity was being questioned…

My aim all the way through this was to bring a domestic violence perpetrator to justice and prevent anybody else going through what I did. Sadly this was not the case due to the negligence of Gwent police and its boys club culture.”

Jodie*

“When I came forward to report Clarke Joslyn’s illegal behaviour - doing exactly what I had always been, as a police officer, trained to do - I wasn’t just denied support; I lost everything. My reputation, my health, and ultimately my career in the police. I entered Gwent Police a bubbly young woman who was excited about her job and her future. When I left just 5 years later, I was completely broken. I have even lost my confidence in the police as a public service.”

Sarah*

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Rochdale Grooming Survivors

CWJ acted for three young women from deprived backgrounds who, when in their teens, were targeted by the so-called Rochdale grooming gang. They were multiply raped by many men who lured them in through the offer or alcohol, cigarettes and ocassionally cash. Despite the police and social services being aware of some of these activities, nothing was done to stop it. In fact, one of our clients was arrested several times as a teenager and has criminal convictions as a consquence. Eventually, the case went to trial in 2012, and two of our clients gave evidence which led to the first historic conviction. In 2019, CWJ started a human rights legal claim against Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

In April 2022, the three women recieved substantial damages and a personal and public apology from the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, who acknowledged the catalogue of investigative failings that prevented their abusers from being brought to justice.

The case against the Crown Prosecution Service continues.

“I feel like this is the first time I’ve really been seen and publicly recognised by authorities as an innocent child victim who needed protection. The way I was treated at the time had a terrible impact on my life, for years after the abuse ended. As a victim, I should never have been treated the way I was, so it is a relief, after all these years, that the police have finally recognised that.’

Amber*

“I don’t know if I believe that Greater Manchester Police have really changed their ways as they say they have, but I’m happy that they’ve taken into account their failings and there’s finally been some accountability. It’s been 10 years since Operation Span and, until now, they’d never accepted what really happened. If we’d never found lawyers, I don’t know if they ever would have apologised to us.’

Daisy*

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Daisy

Daisy, a campaigner and client of CWJ, was born in 1975 and immediately placed in foster care and subsequently adopted. At 18, she was devastated to discover that her birth mother had been a child aged just 13 when a family friend in his late 20s, Carvel Bennett, had raped her, resulting in a pregnancy. Although Daisy’s birth mother had accused Bennett at the time, the police had declined to take any action.

As Daisy’s birth mother did not feel able to pursue a fresh complaint to the police, having been ignored when she first sought to report it as a child, Daisy approached West Midlands Police herself. She made the case that in the circumstances, she herself was living, breathing “proof” of a sexual offence committed against a child - given that her DNA would now be capable of proving paternity. Even with the compelling evidence available it was the police’s view that a prosecution was impossible, and that in any event Daisy could not pursue a complaint herself, since she was not strictly a ‘victim’ of the crime. Daisy took to campaigning publicly for a proper criminal investigation. Bennett was eventually prosecuted and sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment in August 2021.

CWJ continues to assist Daisy with her campaign for a change in law campaign for children conceived in rape to be recognised as secondary victims in law.

CEDAW - Expunging records for street prostitution offences

On the 28th September 2021, CWJ lodged an application to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), challenging the UK’s laws in relation to criminalisation of women in prostitution and the retention of those criminal records for 100 years. The application coincided with the launch of a campaign by two sex-trade survivors, Fiona Broadfoot and Julie Swede

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RE. JB

CWJ intervened in support of the respondent’s position in this case in the Supreme Court. We acted as both the “client” and the lawyers in the intervention.

The issue related to whether a decision as to whether someone with an impairment has capacity to have sex, must also include the fact that they have capacity to understand that the other person must be able to consent and gives and maintains consent throughout.

We argued that an ability to understand, retain and use or weigh information about the consent of a sexual partner being required for sex to be lawful is basic information that everyone who engages in sexual relationships ought to be expected to grasp and that it properly reflects the requirements of the criminal law. We also argued that consideration must be given to the wider context, including: the state’s duties under Article 3 and 8 ECHR; the wider context of the criminal justice system in investigating rape and sexual assault, including that people with mental disorders or impairments are less likely to have complaints of sexual assault investigated and prosecuted; and that there is no coherent framework for the management of risk otherwise.

The respondent was successful, on 24 November 2021, and our submissions are described in the judgment as having “greatly assisted the court.” While there were no specific references to the content of our submissions, there is focus on the need to protect others ,who might be at risk of sexual harm about the criminal law test, both of which were within our arguments.

RE. C

On 22 October 2021, the Court of Appeal overturned a decision in the Court of Protection which many feared would imply a “human right” to buy sex. The case concerned whether a care worker should be able to assist men in their care to access prostituted women and whether in doing so, would constitute a criminal offence.

CWJ acted for two women’s organisations working with women in, or at risk of exploitation, in prostitution, NIA and Women@theWell, who jointly intervened in the successful appeal.

Both intervening organisations gave evidence setting out the realities of prostitution, which is a “trade” characterised by coercion, abuse and violence against women and girls. The point was made that no one “buying sex” for themselves or another can, in reality, know whether the woman is being exploited, given the extreme levels of exploitation of women and girls inherent in prostitution. They would thus be committing a criminal offence.

This case underlines the fact that there is no “human right” to pay for sex and that it is an inherently exploitative industry. Significantly, CWJ’s arguments were adopted by the government which was the appellant in the case, which may help with campaigning in the future.

Prosecution policies

We are exploring strategic litigation opportunities in respect of prosecution policies where victims are threatened with prosecution – in particular, focussing on the application of the public interest test and opportunities to hold the CPS accountable. We have held a round table of experts, bringing criminal specialists together with public lawyers.

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EMPOWERING FRONTLINE SERVICE PROVIDERS

We have developed as an expert legal hub, providing training and second-tier legal advice, advocacy and representation to frontline women’s sector service providers supporting victims and survivors of VAWG across England and Wales. As well as increasing access to justice for many survivors, who have been failed by criminal justice agencies, our work enables us to gather evidence of systemic failings and malpractice, which, in turn, feeds into strategic litigation, and other legal and policy interventions aimed at holding institutions accountable and bringing about change in laws, policy and practice.

The feedback from our training sessions and the follow-up support has been . consistently positive

688 women ASSITED WITH LEGAL ADVICE OR SIGNPOSTING

98.5%

SAY THEY FELT MORE CONFIDENT WITH DEALING WITH THE POLCE AND CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICE AFTER RECEIVING THE CWJ TRAINING

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LEGAL PROJECTS AND POLICY INITIATIVES

We are undertaking a number of projects dealing with particular issues arising for women, which, in turn ,feeds into our litigation and policy advocacy work.

These include:

Non-fatal strangulation

During the passage of the Domestic Abuse Bill through Parliament, we used academic materials shared through the Femicide Working Group and experience from our training with domestic abuse frontline workers to put together a Parliamentary briefing on the need for a new offence. This was picked up by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, the Victim’s Commissioner and others in the sector, who lobbied hard in support. A Conservative Peer put down an amendment in the Lords ,which was voted in and we secured Government support to introduce a new offence. Since then, we have been involved with a sector-wide implementation group, sharing resources for a fuller understanding, guidance and training to be introduced across the criminal justice system. We recruited and briefed a Crown Court judge, who has provided training on the new offence through the Judicial College to all District Judges across the UK as part of their annual mandatory course. The new offence came into force on 7 June 2022.

Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA)

Police Perpetrated Abuse

Alongside our super-complaint on this issue, especially since the murder of Sarah Everard, we have contributed to a wide range of press, including a number of documentaries, TV news items and newspaper reports. We have been able to link a large number of survivors with journalists, enabling those women to tell their stories. We have worked with the women’s charity, Safelives, which delivers training for police officers, on a bespoke training module on this topic, inputting into the content and linking with survivors who provided case studies. This course has been piloted with staff from Professional Standards and will be rolled out to other forces.

We have been contacted by nearly 200 women altogether and have taken accounts from approximately 60. Many of the issues highlighted by victims concern the police perpetrator using his status and power as a police officer to coercively control the victim – sometimes through the mis-use of police powers and the manipulation of evidence in criminal and family cases. We have assisted with legal enquiries, sometimes referring cases to specialist lawyers and have taken on some cases ourselves. We are now planning to produce a follow up report.

Femicide Oversight Mechanism

As founders and conveners of the Femicide Working Group, we have discussed with other group members the need for a properly funded state system to follow up postdeath recommendations and create a ‘national oversight mechanism’ to act strategically to reduce femicides. The Group met with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner (DAC), Nicole Jacobs, shortly after her appointment and lobbied for her office to establish this mechanism. The proposal was taken up and the DAC’s office has secured funding from the Home Office for this work, has devised and begun establishing a domestic homicides oversight mechanism in early 2022.

We acted as a core participant in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) in the strand covering Child Sexual Exploitation by Organised Networks, making key interventions on behalf of black and minoritised survivors of CSE, highlighted perspectives of victims and survivors often let down in the criminal justice system and too frequently criminalised.

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Extending time limit for common assault charges in domestic abuse cases

We were consulted by Yvette Cooper MP on a proposed change in the law which would apply only to domestic abuse cases, to extend the legal deadline to charge a case of common assault from six months to two years. This is because many domestic abuse survivors do not disclose and report abuse for some time and are then too late for prosecutions. We advised on a form of wording that would avoid creating delays in those cases that are reported immediately, and this wording was taken up by Yvette Cooper and by the Government and included in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act and comes into force on 28 June 2022.

Disproportionate requests for third party materials in rape investigations

Within our legal enquiries, we have seen a pattern of disproportionate requests by police and prosecutors for rape survivors’ past records including medical, therapy, social services, educational records. ISVA services we work with were raising their concerns about blanket requests, including for their notes and pre-trial therapy records. With the help of criminal barristers on our panel, we explored the complex legal position in such requests, and drafted a submission setting out where the approach we were seeing was unlawful. We also prepared a dossier of ten case examples. We provided the submission and the dossier to the national police lead on sexual offences and the CPS, and met with them to discuss the issue. They accepted that the inappropriate practices that we had identified were common. CPS later provided us with draft slides for fresh training on this issue for police and prosecutors, which used some of the case studies we had supplied as well as extracts from our submission. A new draft national police rape investigation guidance also includes the issues we have raised.

International Feminist Legal Network (IFLN)

We have been working with Dr Purna Sen (a former Executive Director of UN Women) to establish a sustainable, international feminist legal network of lawyers and legally focussed NGOs, who do strategic legal work and other policy impact work on male psychological violence against women.

Independent legal advice for rape survivors

We brought together an ISVA service, which would welcome an in-house lawyer, with one of the academics working on a new approach to police investigations of rape known as ‘Operation Soteria’. She presented a project proposal for a one-year pilot for a lawyer based at the ISVA service supervised by CWJ. The academic has secured funding for the pilot and will be evaluating it, within the Operation Soteria framework and recruitment of the new lawyer is planned for autumn 2022.

Suicides in the context of domestic abuse

Jointly, with three members of the Femicide Working Group we prepared a submission for the Home Office Domestic Abuse Strategy ,on the failure to address this issue within official suicide prevention strategies and lack of proper police investigations. The Home Office ‘DA Plan’, eventually published in March 2022, includes suicides as a new area of focus, with a number of actions. This includes a commitment by Dept of Health and Social Care to review suicide prevention strategies, strengthened DHR processes for such cases, new data gathering and review of police guidance (though the latter is not broad enough.)

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Ending the unjust criminalisation of victims of violence against women and girls

The Double Standard report, published in 2022, sets out evidence of the unjust criminalisation of victims of VAWG in England and Wales for alleged offending resulting from their experience of abuse, and the reforms in law and practice that are needed to address this. It draws on our briefings to parliamentarians debating the Domestic Abuse Bill and our submissions to the government’s recent consultations on domestic abuse and other forms of VAWG. It includes new qualitative research and legal analysis and draws out the wider learning from CWJ’s recent report on the state response to women who kill their abuser. Relevant case examples are included, taken from CWJ’s own caseload and other sources. The report is primarily focused on women, but we seek to draw out learning relating to girls, where possible, and many of the issues faced are common to both. We conclude with detailed recommendations for reform.

“I have been let down and failed by ... Police and all the other bodies involved, I am being punished by the system that was supposed to be there to help and protect me...”

Naomi, domestic abuse survivor

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Nevres Kemal (left) pictured with the first AKLIP intern, Sannam Kerley (right)

Azra Kemal

Azra Kemal Legal Internship Programme

In 2021, we were approached by Nevres Kemal, the mother of a young law graduate called Azra who died at the age of 24. Azra cared deeply about injustice, particularly struggles of people from minoritised and disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds ,and so we worked with Nevres to develop a programme in her daughter’s name. The paid internship is open to black, Asian and minoritized women. We were inundated with applications from passionate young women and recruited our first intern, Sannam, in January 2021.

“The CWJ internship for women is a fantastic initiative. By ensuring that the internship is paid, CWJ have removed the financial barrier to completing this sort of work experience that many women from these groups face, while simultaneously giving them the opportunity to advance their careers in the legal profession by doing important work for and on behalf of other women.”

Una Morris, barrister, Garden Court Chambers

CWJ Mentorship Scheme

We have introduced a mentorship scheme for Black, Asian and minoritised women who are applying for training contracts and/or pupillage. Mentees are offered informal oneto-one meetings with their mentor to discuss applications, interviews, tips on writing CVs and other useful information. This year, we have managed to match 53 women with a mentor.

“I very much admire the work that you do to ensure women from underrepresented backgrounds are supported when pursuing a career in law. I think it is paramount that schemes such as this continue to grow”

Mentee, 2022

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THE YEAR AHEAD...

We have secured funding to bring in some external expertise to assist with a major review of capacity and infrastructure. The review will look at short and medium-term issues and areas for development, in order for CWJ to remain sustainable and resilient, whilst meeting the high ongoing demand for services. It will look at support structures, management functions and structures, strategic and operational decision making and roles and responsibilities, workplace policies, internal and external communications, monitoring, evaluation and learning capacity, producing a series of recommendations that should help CWJ further develop. Additionally, we will be carrying out a salary benchmarking exercise and reviewing staff benefits to ensure we are able to continue to both recruit and retain colleagues.

We hope that improved infrastructure and evaluation will enable us to meet the needs of our beneficiaries, increase impact and fulfil our mission of holding the state to account around male violence against women and girls as stated in our 3-year strategy.

ANTI-RACISM

CWJ remains committed to developing its anti-racism strategy further, with a focus on promoting and increasing diversity in the legal profession and creating an inclusive culture in which everyone, regardless of their ethnic background, can reach their full potential. We have, so far, set up a unique paid internship for women from underrepresented groups as well as a mentorship programme.

We believe we must continue to ensure that our work is reaching those women most in need and so have developed our relationships with specialist organisations supporting Global Majority women.

We have begun a joint project with Imkaan, an umbrella women’s organisation dedicated to addressing violence against Black and Minoritised women and girls. The project aims to identify and challenge failings preceding the domestic homicides of Black and Minoritised women.

Strategic litigation will remain the bedrock of CWJ and we are committed to ensuring it reaches across a broad spectrum of issues that impact on women and girls who are subjected to male violence and to ensure it reaches, in particular, those who suffer multiple discrimination within the justice system.

We will continue to contribute to policy and research, where it can make a unique and particular contribution based on the experiences of women and girls it supports. We will be further developing the international feminist legal network of lawyers. This network will allow experts to share learning with each other and with decision makers in their own jurisdictions, which will contribute towards improvements in law and practice in order to tackle psychological violence to women and girls, and its harmful impacts. Whilst the project is initiated by CWJ, we consider it is important for this not to be a UK run project, moving forward, and are therefore working to create a representative secretariat.

FUNDRAISING PRACTICE

The CWJ fundraising lead organises fundraising events and co-ordinates the activities of our supporters in the wider community on behalf of CWJ. We do not use professional fundraisers or involve commercial participators. There have been no complaints about fundraising activities this year, or any previous year.

We registered with the Fundraising Regulator and comply with all of the fundraising guidance set out in the Code of Fundraising Practice.

All direct marketing is undertaken by the fundraising lead (the operations manager) to ensure that it is not unreasonably intrusive or persistent. All marketing material contains clear instructions on how a person can be removed from mailing lists.

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RESERVES POLICY

The trustees aim to maintain free reserves in unrestricted funds at a level which equates to approximately three months of unrestrestricted charitbale expenditure. The trustees consider that this level will provide sufficient funds to respond to applications for grants and ensure that support and governance costs are covered.

For the year starting April 2021 it was agreed that our reserves level be set at £117,000. The trustees agreed to update the reserves level to £95,000 in January 2022 to reflect changes to unrestricted expenditure.

TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILITIES STATEMENT

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdon Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resourses and application of resourses, of the charity for that period.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

During the year, the charity received income totalling £738,677 (2021: £428,615). The income consisted of donations of £647,150 (2021: £368,519) and income from charitable activities of £91,527 (2021: £60,096). £402,799 (2021: £284,160) of the income was unrestricted and £335,878 (2021: £144,455) was restricted.

The expenditure for the year consisted of unrestricted costs of £312,572 (2021: £178,070) and restricted costs of £204,900 (2021: £192,445), totalling £517,472 (2021: £370,515).

This resulted in a surplus on unrestricted reserves of £90,227 (2021: surplus of £106,090) and a surplus on restricted reserves of £130,978 (2021: deficit of £47,990). At 31 March 2022, reserves totalled £490,341, consisting of £236,033 unrestricted reserves and £254,308 restricted reserves. Details of the various restricted funds can be found in note 18.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trusees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charity’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the applicable Charities (Accounts and Reports) regulations, and the provisions of the Trust Deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking responsible steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF CENTRE FOR WOMEN’S JUSTICE

Year ended 31 March 2022

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Centre for Women’s Justice (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the statement of financial activities, statement of financial position, statement of cash flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

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Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities Act 2011 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

Based on our understanding of the charity, we identified the principal risks of noncompliance with laws and regulations and we considered the extent to which noncompliance might have a material effect on the financial statements. We also considered those laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the financial statements. We evaluated management and trustees’ incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including the risk of override of controls), and determined that the principal risks were related to posting inappropriate journal entries to manipulate financial performance and misappropriation of assets. Audit procedures performed included:

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK), we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:

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We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s members, as a body, in accordance with section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and regulations made under section 154 of that Act. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

25 / 01 / 2023

Statement of Financial Activities Year ended 31 March 2022

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

Kara Williams BSc BFP FCA

Ellis Lloyd Jones Audit Limited Chartered accountants & statutory auditor 11 Park Square Newport South Wales NP20 4EL

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Statement of Financial Position 31 March 2022

These financial statements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on ........................, and are signed on behalf of the board by:25 / 01 / 2023

Statement of Cash Flows Year ended 31 March 2022

Fiona MacKenzie Trustee

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Notes to the Financial Statements Year ended 31 March 2022

1. General information

The charity is a public benefit entity and a registered charity in England and Wales and is a charitable incorporated organisation. The address of the principal office is Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, London, E2 6HG.

2. Statement of compliance

These financial statements have been prepared in compliance with FRS 102, ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland’, the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Charities Act 2011.

Incoming resources

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when entitlement has passed to the charity; it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the charity and the amount can be reliably measured. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:

income from donations or grants is recognised when there is evidence of entitlement to the gift, receipt is probable and its amount can be measured reliably.

legacy income is recognised when receipt is probable and entitlement is established.

income from contracts for the supply of services is dependent on the outcome of cases and is only recognised when it is virtually certain. This income is classified as unrestricted income, unless there is a contractual requirement for it to be spent on a particular purpose and returned if unspent, in which case, it may be regarded as restricted.

3. Accounting policies

Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities and investment properties measured at fair value through income or expenditure.

The presentational currency is pound sterling, which is the functional currency of the entity. The figures in the financial statements have been rounded to the nearest pound.

Going concern

There are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue.

Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is classified under headings of the statement of financial activities to which it relates:

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the charity’s purposes.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular future project or commitment.

Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the terms of an appeal, and fall into one of two sub-classes: restricted income funds or endowment funds.

All costs are allocated to expenditure categories reflecting the use of the resource. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs are apportioned between the activities they contribute to on a reasonable, justifiable and consistent basis.

Operating leases

Lease payments are recognised as an expense over the lease term on a straightline basis. The aggregate benefit of lease incentives is recognised as a reduction to expense over the lease term, on a straight-line basis.

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Tangible assets

Tangible assets are initially recorded at cost, and subsequently stated at cost less any accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Any tangible assets carried at revalued amounts are recorded at the fair value at the date of revaluation less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses.

An increase in the carrying amount of an asset as a result of a revaluation, is recognised in other recognised gains and losses, unless it reverses a charge for impairment that has previously been recognised as expenditure within the statement of financial activities. A decrease in the carrying amount of an asset as a result of revaluation, is recognised in other recognised gains and losses, except to which it offsets any previous revaluation gain, in which case the loss is shown within other recognised gains and losses on the statement of financial activities.

Defined contribution plans

Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as an expense in the period in which the related service is provided. Prepaid contributions are recognised as an asset to the extent that the prepayment will lead to a reduction in future payments or a cash refund.

When contributions are not expected to be settled wholly within 12 months of the end of the reporting date in which the employees render the related service, the liability is measured on a discounted present value basis. The unwinding of the discount is recognised as an expense in the period in which it arises.

4. Donations and legacies

Depreciation

Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost or valuation of an asset, less its residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows:

Impairment of fixed assets

A review for indicators of impairment is carried out at each reporting date, with the recoverable amount being estimated where such indicators exist. Where the carrying value exceeds the recoverable amount, the asset is impaired accordingly. Prior impairments are also reviewed for possible reversal at each reporting date.

Financial instruments

A financial asset or a financial liability is recognised only when the charity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at the amount receivable or payable including any related transaction costs.

Current assets and current liabilities are subsequently measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received and not discounted.

Debt instruments are subsequently measured at amortised cost.

Financial assets that are measured at cost or amortised cost are reviewed for objective evidence of impairment at the end of each reporting date. If there is objective evidence of impairment, an impairment loss is recognised under the appropriate heading in the statement of financial activities in which the initial gain was recognised.

5. Charitable activities

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6. Costs of raising donations and legacies

9. Net income

7. Expenditure on charitable activities by fund type

Net income is stated after charging/(crediting):

10. Auditors remuneration

11. Independent examination fees

12. Staff costs

8. Expenditure on charitable activities by activity type

The total staff costs and employee benefits for the reporting period are analysed as follows:

The average head count of employees during the year was 10 (2021: 8).

No employee received employee benefits of more than £60,000 during the year (2021: Nil).

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13. Trustee remuneration and expenses

No remuneration or other benefits from employment with the charity or a related entity were received by the trustees.

No trustee expenses have been incurred.

17. Pensions and other post-retirement benefits

Defined contribution plans

The amount recognised in income or expenditure as an expense in relation to defined contribution plans was £8,135 (2021: £7,027).

14. Tangible fixed assets

18. Analysis of charitable funds

Unrestricted funds

Restricted funds

15. Debtors

16. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

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18. Analysis of charitable funds (continued)

18. Analysis of charitable funds (continued

Anonymous research project

Dissemination of the Women Who Kill research project via presentations, training and related articles and reports.

Rosa UK - Advice and Support

Improving access to justice for women and girls throughout England and Wales by empowering the women’s sector to recognise and challenge criminal justice failings and connect them to feminist lawyers.

Rosa UK Fund - Changing the conversation

To be a full and active member of the Justice and Equality Fund’s ‘Changing the Conversation’ strategic communications network.

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Garden Court Chambers

Funding for facilitating the lawyers reference panel and providing training for frontline organisations.

Sexual assault fund (crowdjustice)

Money raised through crowdfunding to judicially review the parole board decisions to release serial rapist John Worboys. Due to a successful challenge the remaining funds are to be used for paralegal costs to support other cases where women have suffered from violence and/or sexual assault.

The Baring Foundation

To bring together specialist lawyers, academics and other experts with those working on the frontline as activists, survivors and service providers (across England and Wales) to bring strategic law challenges and ensure access to justice for victims of male violence.

The Access to Justice Foundation - Community Justice Fund Support for specialist advice services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2020

Project challenging the long-term impact of sexual exploitation which results from women being criminalised in the context of the abuse they were subjected to.

The Azra Kemal Legal Internship Programme

Paid internship programme for women from a Black, Asian and/ or minoritised backgrounds to promote and increase diversity in the legal profession.

Rape Justice Now (CrowdJustice)

Funds remaining following a case to judicially review the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to prosecuting rape. These funds will be used on any work carried out around rape and sexual violence.

Digital Freedom Fund

Victim/witness digital data extraction in sexual offence investigations - strategic litigation.

Disappearing Women

The Access to Justice Foundation - Funder Plus programme To fund staff development and consultancy work.

Project in partnership with artist, Henny Beaumont and The Femicide Census to create a memorial to honour each of the 118 women killed between 11th March 2020 and 11th March 2021.

Evan Cornish Foundation

Empowering the women’s sector and their service users to fight injustice and protect their human rights in the North of England.

Matrix Chambers Causes Fund

Design and distribution of Women Who Kill research report.

The Olwyn Foundation

Challenging the unjust criminalisation of women and girls who offend due to domestic abuse, sexual abuse or sexual exploitation.

The Baring Foundation - Covid-19 Response Fund

Supporting work to meet the increased need for legal assistance from women’s sector organisations on issues relating to violence against women and girls.

Anonymous donor - Criminalisation of Women from sexual exploitation Project challenging the long-term impact of sexual exploitation which results from women being criminalised in the context of the abuse to which they were subjected.

The Baring Foundation: Racial Justice Fund

Joint project with Imkaan - analysing and challenging the institutionalised abuse and racism experienced by Black and minoritised women and girls in the criminal justice system.

The IHL Trust : Challenging Police Perpetrated Abuse

This project aims to bring about structural change to the way such complaints are investigated and dealt with. We will support individual women who have been victims of police perpetrated abuse through legal advice and access to appropriate other services.

The JABBS Foundation

Investigating the West Midlands multi-agency response to women involved in offending who are victims of domestic abuse.

The Legal Education Foundation: Justice First Fellowship Scheme Funding for a Justice First Fellowship trainee solicitor for 2 years.

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The Oak Foundation - International Project

Creation of a sustainable international network of lawyers and legally-focused NGOs to combat psychological violence towards women and girls, its harmful impacts, and build state accountability.

The Big Give Women and Girls Match Fund

Providing legal advice to women who have been wrongly or disproportionately punished for resisting male violence so that they may appeal wrongful convictions and unjust sentences.

The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2021 - Digital Capacity Building Grant Digital capacity building activities such as training, software and advertising.

Anonymous Donor - Criminalisation of Women

Challenging the unjust criminalisation of women and girls who offend due to domestic abuse, sexual abuse or sexual exploitation.

The Oak Foundation - Capacity Building Grant

Building the organisations’ internal capacity, implementing the next three-year strategy and creating an internship programme for black and global majority women.

20. Analysis of changes in net debt

21. Operating lease commitments

The total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:

19. Analysis of net assets between funds

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