In the UK 12,000 women are sent prison each year. The vast majority are serving short sentences for non-violent crimes. Most of them are parents, leaving 17,500 children separated from their mums by incarceration annually.
These women are a very vulnerable group. They are 5 times more likely to report mental health issues then women in the community, 70% have experienced domestic violence, and more than half experienced abuse in childhood. Of these women those from an ethnic minority background are almost twice as likely to be in prison.
Three quarters of women reoffend after serving a short sentence*.
Clearly prison isn’t working. We need to stop the mass incarceration of vulnerable communities and find better solutions.
The voices of women in the justice system needs to be at the heart of this change.
WHO ARE WE?
The View is a campaigning platform and magazine for women who are incarcerated or on license serving their sentence in the community. We publish a quarterly magazine filled with work from women with convictions, who are paid for their contributions.
Our sub editor, operations manager and designer are all women with conviction. Our management team consists of professionals from publishing , fundraising, philanthropy and the creative arts.
We campaign to improve the lives of women in the justice system and give them a voice about the issues that most affect their lives, like domestic violence and institutional sexism and racism. You can learn more about our latest report
'We Are Invisible' here. It's raised a lot of questions we want to explore in much more depth.
WHY ARE WE FUNDRAISING?
There are gaps in our understanding of how and why women end up in prison. Especially women from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds and those suffering domestic abuse. How do the victims of abuse become perpetrators of crime?
We want to commission a legal specialist, with expertise in domestic violence and a graduate research assistant, to investigate the following questions:
What tools do judges, barristers, solicitors, prison and probation officers need to do a better job of helping women who are experiencing domestic abuse?
What sort of support and advice best helps women when they leave prison?
The research will centre around interviews and testimony from women in prison or recently released, so their voices are at the centre of the finished report.
The experts will also add evidence to a UK prisoner petition to the UN over human rights breaches by the Government for failing to adequately protect women at risk during the Covid-19 crisis.
HOW WILL THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
The report will act as a focal point for policy makers to start affecting change.
It will help inform better practice among courts, the police, caseworkers and legal practitioners involved in the criminal justice system.
It will add to a growing body of evidence that prison is rarely the answer for women and bring to the fore the additional challenges minoritised women face.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR REWARDS:
The View Mag tote bag:
A handmade tote bag by Rochelle Fullerton:
A signed limited edition print by Nubiarte, find out more here:
Left to right: Bleeding Heart, Death Sees Colour, Plain Sight, Creeping Fear
An example of Elton Lovell's portraits:
An example of Louise Mills' portraits:
Our vision is for a fairer, more humane criminal justice system, for all women.
Will you support us, in achieving justice for women?
*Sources for the statistics quoted above and more information about women in the justice system can be found here.