Impact case study database

Gill’s research on countering various forms of VAWG has had a significant impact on policy and legislation aimed at protecting women in BME communities in the UK and internationally. It has led directly to improved criminal justice outcomes for survivors in the UK.

Shaping policy in the UK: Gill’s research ( R1- R6; IMP1) has had a demonstrable impact on the development of the UK’s national policy on VAWG through helping the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice increase the effectiveness of criminal and civil responses to FM, both in terms of protecting victims and prosecuting perpetrators ( IMP2, IMP3). The Deputy VAWG Strategy Manager for the CPS has stated that Gill’s input has ‘constructively challenged the CPS on how we implement our policies/guidance/products and how we work in partnership with the police and other agencies’ ( IMP3). Gill has also been instrumental in ensuring that the CPS updates its investigative procedures regarding VAWG and HBV. Since 2013, she has provided advice on the CPS’s VAWG agenda, particularly around HBV and FM. In addition, as a key expert, Gill sits on the national multi-disciplinary steering group that advises the CPS on the development of its HBV and FM legal guidance, the monitoring of cases, and the provision of training for specialist prosecutors: ‘Gill has [to work] on the CPS VAWG Vision up until 2020… [Her] support should ensure the CPS VAWG approach reflects the needs of victims and society’ ( IMP3). She has also helped The Home Office’s Exploitation Projects Team. They used her research on sexual violence and HBV to develop a workshop-training event in August 2019 to enable more effective professional responses in this area.

Throughout her career Gill has called for consistent recording, mapping, and sensitive sharing of case data that includes victims’ ethnic heritage, as well as the clear recording of all HBV and FM cases ( R3, R5, R6), on the basis that, without such information gathering and sharing, the local scale and distribution of HBV and FM remains concealed, victims are often not identified, and their needs left unmet. This call to action was picked up by both Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in 2015 and Hertfordshire Police in 2017. Both have supported and funded Gill’s research on countering VAWG in BME communities. The Constabulary used Gill’s research findings on HBV, FM and FGM to enhance their understanding of victims’ support needs and have since adapted their support procedures in line with her recommendations. Gill’s work since 2013 demonstrates the ongoing need to develop specialised services for BME victims and this has been recognised by the many statutory bodies she works with, leading to the development of more nuanced and inclusive policies and procedures ( R4; IMP1, IMP3).

Shaping international policy: The reach of Gill’s research and its contribution to shaping policy has had considerable impact on governments and NGOs across Europe, the Indian sub-continent, and Australia ( IMP4- IMP6). Dame Vera Baird QC, Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, invited Gill to join the Victims’ Commissioner’s Advisory Group 2019-2021. This role involves giving policy advice to the Victims’ Commissioner to ensure that the interests of victims and witnesses are fully considered at all stages in any proposals for development and/or change to the criminal justice system and its constituent agencies. Gill has advised Anti-Slavery in Australia (ASA) on effectively tackling FM, addressing over 150 attendees from 50 government agencies and community organisations as the keynote speaker at ASA’s inaugural Forced Marriage Conference. The Director noted that her ‘ongoing contribution to Anti-Slavery Australia’s policy work on forced marriage is invaluable. She provides advice and support to our advocacy efforts [and] has made a significant contribution to raising awareness about the challenges of prosecuting forced marriage cases and the development of a forced marriage protection order scheme in Australia’ ( IMP4). Between October and December 2018, Gill supported the work of human rights colleagues in Pakistan to design training for the Pakistani police and specialist NGOs. This work not only encompassed identifying key causal factors behind VAWG in Pakistan and internationally, but also led to the development of measures to assist victims of HBV, including in relation to reintegration into their communities. The Head of Program of Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, stated that ‘Gill assisted and supported the capacity development in relation to the criminal investigative services in Pakistan. She specifically advised on responses to enabling better preventative measures [in relation to the difficulties] that Pakistani women face as a victim, suspect or perpetrator in the criminal justice system. During this collaboration, she also designed materials for the German Society for International Cooperation and graduate students at the University of Punjab in relation to improving education and training to strengthen and increase investigative capacities in criminal investigations related to the murder of women in Pakistan’ ( IMP5). Her expert advice has also been drawn on by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre, which is representing ethnic Azerbaijani applicants to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women in an HBV case against the Georgian state; the Director notes that her research ‘enabled us to support our legal arguments with expert statements’ and ‘In responding to a rebutting the [Georgian] Government’s arguments we will again rely on Gill’s very thorough and credible analysis’ ( IMP6).

Acting as an expert witness: Drawing on her extensive research ( R1- R6), Gill has provided expert evidence in various UK courts on the cultural contexts at play in HBV and FM cases. In the case of Regina v RB (name withheld), she worked with West Midlands Police and the legal team of Victim A between March and May 2018 to help secure the conviction and imprisonment of the defendant in the first successful conviction for FM in England. This landmark case attracted global media attention. The lead police investigator specifically identified the significance of expert input: ‘Gill, in particular, explained the significance of the roles within the marriage ceremony, which was crucial at the trial stage’ ( IMP7). In 2015, she supported the defence team in the case of Regina v Dharmasena and Mohammed. The legal team remarked that they found ‘Gill’s advice invaluable in the preparation of the defence – particularly in understanding the client’s instructions and, forensically, the cross-examination of the prosecution and co-defendant’s expert witnesses, as well as illuminating the judge and the rest of us on a number of important cultural and contextual issues’ ( IMP8). Gill also advised in a 2018 case of a father accused of subjecting his daughter to FGM ( *Regina v O [name withheld]*), providing expert input relating to national and cultural differences in FGM practices within Africa, including specifically within the Igbo tribe of Nigeria ( R5; IMP9). The lawyer for the defence in the case remarked that Gill’s input ‘contributed in no small measure to the acquittal of the client at the end of nine days’ trial and six hours’ deliberation by the jury on all seven counts that he faced’ ( IMP9). In 2016, she supported Bedfordshire Police in the case preparation for Operation Humboldt ( Regina v Khan). Gill’s expert role included data analysis of phone records and facilitating police understanding of both religious and risk-avoidance behaviours in relation to the socio-cultural context of the accused ( IMP10). The defendant was found guilty of murder.

Raising public awareness and reshaping the public debate around HBV, FGM, and FM: In June 2017, Gill was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s List, in recognition for her services in tackling forced marriages, 'honour' crimes and violence against women. Gill has played a significant role in raising public awareness of, and clarifying the terms of debate around, HBV, FGM, and FM; she regularly comments on these issues in public arenas. Since 2014, Gill’s research and professional activity have been featured in the press and broadcast media in outlets such as New Statesman, The Independent, The New York Times and ITV among others, which together have a combined reach of over 220, 383, 548 people per month. Her interventions have significantly impacted the approach of campaigns and individuals to VAWG, HBV, FM and FGM ( R3- R5). For example, former Home Secretary Sajid Javid and his staff drew on Gill’s work to design the first European conference on FM and FGM, held in London in November 2018. In December 2017, he wrote to Gill thanking her for ‘helping us raise awareness of FGM and forced marriage and the devastating impact they have on people’s lives. It is reassuring to know that there are allies like yourself in the fight against these horrific crimes’ ( IMP2). Gill has also participated in numerous international debates on these issues; in May 2018 and May 2019, she featured as the leading expert in two documentaries ( Judge Rinder Crime Stories: Shafilea Ahmed https://trakt.tv/shows/judge-rinder-s-crime-stories/seasons/3/episodes/5 [2018]; Murdered by my husband https://www.my5.tv/murdered-by/season-2/murdered-by-my-husband [2019]) on the murder of women in the name of ‘honour’; her research findings ( IMP1; R3) substantially informed the direction of these documentaries (especially the latter), which have been aired in two main UK channels which have a combined audience of 20,876,000 people. Gill has also been involved in public awareness campaigns with the Victims’ Commissioners office during the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently working with both the criminal justice system and front-line domestic violence charities to address the significant public health consequences, as well as socio-economic implications, of the pandemic (particularly as regards the lockdown and self-isolation measures) for women and girls in BME communities. In short, Gill’s work continues to have a major impact, nationally and internationally, in terms of both its significance and reach ( IMP1; R3, R5- R6).