Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Sister in Law
- Fighting for Justice in a System Designed by Men
- Narrated by: Catherine Bailey
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for £12.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
Only 30 years ago, rape within marriage was not a crime, Judges saw rape victims as complicit for wearing short skirts; teenage runaways were groomed, pimped and then arrested as ‘common prostitutes’, and harassment, stalking, forced marriage and honour-based violence were not defined or recognised as separate offences in law. Since then there have been important legislative reforms but the law is only as good as those who enforce it.
Telling the stories of a series of ground-breaking cases, Harriet Wistrich illustrates how far misogyny is baked into our justice system. Among the women she has represented are Emma Humphreys and Sally Challen, both of whose murder convictions were overturned in watershed moments, the victims of serial rapist, taxi-driver John Worboys, and the wives and girlfriends of undercover police who were fraudulently deceived into long-term relationships and illegally spied upon.
Her work has involved direct challenges to government departments and cabinet ministers, the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, the immigration service, and the Parole Board. It provides critical insight into the many ways issues relating to violence against women intersect with racism, state violence and lack of accountability. And it shows how bringing a feminist lens to legal issues has led to creative solutions and inspiring partnerships.
This important work demands tenacity, compassion and collaboration, but Wistrich shows that it is imperative that we demand better justice and that it is possible to bring about important change.
Critic reviews
'Harriet Wistrich has long offered a voice to the voiceless – those ordinary men, and especially women, who have been silenced, ignored, overlooked and talked down to. Her career is a testimony to her values, dedication, hard work and insight.' (Emeritus Professor David Wilson)
'Justice needs both warriors and champions and in Harriet Wistrich, she found both. Sister in Law is compelling, inspiring, horrifying and humbling in equal measure.' (Dame Professor Sue Black)
'Harriet Wistrich is a heroine. Here is her story: 30 years of feminist and human rights activism, legal creativity, and tenacity. With great clarity and humanity she describes watershed cases - from women locked up for killing their violent abusers, to undercover ‘spy cops’, the family of Jean Paul Menezes, murdered by the police, and the bleak legacy of prostitution – all of them exemplars in the art of making a difference.' (Beatrix Campbell, author of Secrets and Silence)
More from the same
What listeners say about Sister in Law
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jessica, London
- 11-05-24
What an awesome legacy Harriet Wistrich has!
I really enjoyed this. The narration was also great, only a couple of mispronunciations (Chetham’s School of Music being one of them).
I really want to find more books like this, that tell the stories behind big legal cases. The John Worboys parole matter was fascinating.
Harriet has changed the law for the better for women, through her work with Justice for Women and the Centre for Women’s Justice. To have brought about real and lasting change like this is extraordinary.
I can’t help but be reminded that on the other side to this, there are those who seek to judge how much work has been done for women by doing a Twitter search, concluding that because there are no tweets about a particular person, that no work has been done by or for them.
Their understanding of what work really means could be very much improved by listening to this book. A performance on Twitter is not work. Harriet Wistrich does the work and she is very good at it.
Bravo!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Michelle Kitson
- 06-05-24
Harriet’s tenacity for women’s justice
Fascinating read. Thankful there are people like Harriet who stand up and campaign for women’s justice.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 13-05-24
A book all should read ( or listen to!)
The courage and tenacity of Harriet is amazing. Women and children have a lot to thank her for.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!