Right to Equality

This is the second in a two-part series, produced in partnership with Sara Davison, The Divorce Coach, where we look into the shocking subject of child removal in private family proceedings in England and Wales.  

This second episode, Why Children Are Removed After Abuse Disclosures (And What Needs to Change), dives deeper into how cases of child removal have arisen in our family justice system and the impact of experts in these cases. 

Sara is joined by Dr Adrienne Barnett, co-director of Right to Equality and Reader in Law at Brunel University of London and Natalie Page, Right to Equality ambassador and Director of Survivor Family Network and author of the new book “The System is the Weapon” which is available now worldwide.

To learn more about the work of Right to Equality and read reporting from the family courts visit: www.righttoequality.org  

This is the first in a two-part series, produced in partnership with Sara Davison, The Divorce Coach, where we look into the shocking subject of child removal in private family proceedings in England and Wales. 

Sara is joined by three impressive guests:

Dr Charlotte Proudman, women’s rights barrister, Founder of Right to Equality, and author of the book “He Said, She Said” recalls how she represented a 15 year old girl we call “Florence”. Charlotte talks about Florence’s remarkable courage in independently fighting to return to her mum in the High Court, after she was removed from her aged 10. “He Said, She Said” is out now in paperback. You can read more about Florence’s case in an article by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism here.

Professor Jo Delahunty KC is a leading silk in both public and private law cases. She was the winner of 2025 Family silk of the year for skills. She is also an author of two recent books, “We Set the Bar” and “Domestic Abuse and the Family Justice System”. Jo tells us about a recent groundbreaking case Re: Y (Experts and Alienating Behaviour: The Modern Approach) where she represented a 15 year old boy as he put forward his case to return to his mother, before the most senior family judge in England and Wales. 

The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman OBE, also joins Sara’s panel of guests to share how she came to learn about the phenomena of child removal and the role that unregulated experts have to play in these removals. She shares her personal experience and work in uncovering the harmful practices of experts and her hopes for imminent change. 

To learn more about the work of Right to Equality and read reporting from the family courts visit: www.righttoequality.org 

Lucy sits down with Charlotte and Juliana to talk about their podcast and critical work in the fight for survivor justice. Charlotte explains how survivors are routinely charged thousands of pounds to obtain their own court transcripts—a deeply unjust barrier to healing, accountability, and justice. Juliana shares insights from survivors whose words were never spoken in court (this episode contains a portion of her own statement), and how reading their victim impact statements (VIS) on Take the Stand has helped reclaim their voice.

We dive into the emotional, legal, and societal implications of denying survivors access to their own stories.

Urgent Action Needed:
The transcript access pilot ends 28 May. Without intervention, survivors will once again be mired in bureaucracy and cost. Write to your MP today to demand an extension and permanent change. Visit www.openjusticeforall.com to learn how.

https://www.openjusticeforall.com/show-your-support

About Take the Stand:
Take the Stand is a platform where survivors read their statements aloud, often for the first time, and reflect on the courtroom journey and what came after. Donate, share, and help them continue amplifying survivor voices.

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Twitter/X: @OpenJustice4All

In this episode, Lucy Hayton is joined by Konstantina Nouka, a pupil barrister at Nexus Chambers and the Chair and Founder of Bringing [Dis]ability to the Bar—an organisation led by and for disabled aspiring barristers. Through education, research, mentorship, and advocacy, the initiative works to make the Bar more accessible and inclusive. Lucy and Konstantina discuss common misconceptions about disability, the importance of advocating for marginalised clients, and practical ways to improve accessibility within the legal profession and the courtroom.

In this episode, Lucy Hayton is joined by Amy Finnimore, a domestic abuse advocate, and Cathryn Blyth from Voices Charity in Bath. Together, they share the story behind the creation of a groundbreaking Domestic Abuse Advisory Board, developed in partnership with the Bristol Family Justice Board. This unique collaboration aims to transform how family courts respond to domestic abuse. Amy and Cathryn discuss the development of a new court guide designed to help survivors navigate the legal system with greater clarity and confidence. They also explore the challenges survivors face in family court and the urgent need to minimise retraumatisation throughout the legal process.

In episode 8 of "Spotlight on the Violence Against Women and Girls Sector," Lucy Hayton discusses providing safe accommodation for women with Lisa Hilder MBE,  the founder, treasurer and current Trustee of Preston Road Women’s Centre and Affordable Justice based in Hull. She also co-designed the Social and Sustainable Housing Fund and is a senior strategic leader in the NHS. They discuss how Lisa developed a portfolio of safe accomodation for women fleeing gender-based abuse, created a social enterprise based model for affordable justice and established financial independence from grant funders and contracts. 

In episode 7 of "Spotlight on the Violence Against Women and Girls Sector," Lucy Hayton discusses offering holistic services to victims of gender-based violence with Yasmin Rehman, the CEO at Juno Women’s Aid in Nottingham. Yasmin has worked for more than 30 years predominantly on violence against women and girls, race, faith and gender, and human rights. She co-edited a book, Moving in the Shadows: Violence in the Lives of Minority Women and Children and is working on a second examining polygamous and temporary marriage and is an expert on abuse, honour-based abuse, forced marriage and polygamy. They discuss moving away from a risk-based approach, starting a pet foster support service, international perspectives of feminism and abuse in religious settings. 

In episode 6 of "Spotlight on the Violence Against Women and Girls Sector," Lucy Hayton discusses lived experience with Lisa Ward, the Lived Experience Involvement Consultant to the Violence, Abuse and Mental Health Network based at King’s College, London. They discuss the significance of language and terminology in this sector, the origins of feminist counseling and the early rape crisis centres, campaigning for street lighting for women to feel safer, and her journey as an “accidental feminist”. 

In episode 5 of "Spotlight on the Violence Against Women and Girls Sector," Lucy Hayton discusses intersectional feminism with Benaifer Bhandari. She is the CEO at the Hopscotch Women’s Centre, which provides support services for Asian women and other minority women and their families on a wide range of issues including domestic violence, training, employment, housing, and welfare benefits. She also chairs Voluntary Action Camden and Camden and Islington's Trauma Informed Network and is a trustee of Global Generation, Naz and Matt Foundation, and an active trustee of Camden’s consortium of community centres. They discuss Hopscotch Women's Centre's response to refugees arriving from Afghanistan, new approaches to working with boys and young men, and building trust in local communities.

In episode 4 of "Spotlight on the Violence Against Women and Girls Sector," Lucy Hayton discusses sexual offences with Dr Fiona Vera-Gray from the Child and Women Abuse Studies Unit at London Metropolitan University. Fiona is an internationally renowned expert on public sexual harassment and sexual offending. She is the author of several books, including Men’s Intrusion, Women’s Embodiment: A critical analysis of street harassment (2017) and The Right Amount of Panic: How women trade freedom for safety (2018) and Women on Porn (2024). She has also been part of the Home Office-funded Operation Soteria, which is transforming rape and serious sexual offence (RASSO) investigations for the better. Lucy and Fiona discuss the growing concern around public sexual harassment, understanding of consent, and Fiona’s transition from the front line in Rape Crisis Centres into academia.