On Tuesday November 11th, this important seminar was co-hosted by Professor Steph Holt and Women’s Aid to an invited only audience. The seminar was delighted to welcome Barrister and author Charlotte Proudman https://www.charlotteproudman.com/ to discuss her important book “He Said, She Said. Truth, Trauma and the Struggle for Family Justice”, which exposes how legal cases in England’s family court struggle and often fails to achieve justice.

 

Bringing an Irish perspective into the seminar, Prof. Stephanie Holt presented on the groundbreaking 2025 research she led into how adult and child victim-survivors of domestic violence and abuse experience navigating the Irish family law system https://hdl.handle.net/2262/111839. Launched in June 2025, this research found that the current operation of the family law system for victim-survivors of domestic abuse increases risk, undermines rights and compromises safety. This high impact report is crucial research informed guidance for Minister of Justice, Jim O’Callaghan in the ongoing Family Justice reform process. 
Prof. Neville Cox, Registrar of Trinity College, chaired the seminar, which included discussion and debate with an expert panel joining Charlotte and Steph. The panel included:

 

Sarah Benson, CEO, Women’s Aid

Cliona Sadlier, CEO Rape Crisis Network Ireland

Andrew Munro, Assistant Secretary – Civil Justice - Policy & Legislation, Department of Justice

Judge Grainne Malone, District Court.

Mairead Deevy, former family law barrister, currently serving Board member of Sisi and a champion of women’s rights