Members' Section

Taking Action for Lost Daughters

Our third annual Day of Action saw our student groups organising events to highlight our Lost Daughters campaign and raise awareness of issues facing women in the criminal justice system.

Taking place on the international day for elimination of violence against women, November 25th, a number of events saw Howard League student collaborate with women's groups on campus in order to make the day a success.

Middlesex University, one of our newest groups, had a stall in the foyer of the university, where they asked students their opinions of the way women were treated in prisons. They were asking students to complete worksheets on the history and work of the Howard League.

Bristol University continued their activist tradition with a stall in the Wills Memorial Building where they sold cakes to raise money for the Howard League and asked people to sign a petition supporting Lost Daughters. They have since put the petition on the Number 10 website and you can sign it here.

Queen Mary University London were already participating in a Law Fair on campus on the Day of Action, and so used the opportunity to talk to students and representatives from leading law firms about the campaign.

Kingston University organised a 'Question Time' style panel event to discuss some of the issues raised by the Lost Daughters campaign. The panel included Professor David Downes, Professor Emeritus of Social Administration at the LSE; Dr Nic Groombridge, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at St Mary’s University College London; Joe Baden, Director of Open Book (a widening access scheme for ex-offenders); Mandy Ross, Independent Prison Monitoring Board; Sally Hill, Head of the Josephine Butler Juvenile Unit at HMP Downview; Ginny Braim, Seconded Probation Surrey Probation Service at HMP Send. Students submitted questions in advance and the panel discussed a range of topics including the Lost Daughters campaign, the psychological impact of prison and whether prison was the right place for vulnerable members of our society.

Manchester University are one of the newest additions to Howard League students and kicked off in style! They marked their presence on the map by throwing a fundraising party in one of the clubs in Fallowfield. A great night was had by all.

Cambridge University discussed 'Why equality means difference: Women, Crime and Criminal Justice'. With Dr Loraine Gelsthorpe who is Reader in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge and a long time member of the Howard League. She has published extensively on women offenders and criminal justice, especially in relation to provision in the community.

Warwick University canvassed students' opinions about women in prison and the issues raised by the Lost Daughters campaign. The filmed results will be available to view via YouTube in the near future. In the evening there was a film showing of Chicago which was well attended.

Keep an eye out for the date for next year's Day of Action, and if you haven't yet sent me your photos or report from the event, then send them to Hannah McFaull, our National Student Organiser.

The Howard League online

Taking Action for Lost Daughters