Muslim Women in Prison Research and Film Launch

The research team have been working together since 2019, to develop a therapeutic alliance, to safely support women to enhance the academic appreciation of gender, trauma, and culturally responsive models of desistance. The research and dissemination film, highlights the ways in which adversity, inequality, trauma, shame, isolation and strengthened faith, impact upon a Muslim women’s experience of desistance and resettlement after prison. This research was funded through the Centre for Applied Social Research within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Leeds Beckett University and the department of Law and Criminology at Sheffield Hallam University.

The event was attended by esteemed guests including leaders across a variety of fields, including Local Government; His Majesties Prison and Probation Service; Police forces; Police and Crime Commissioning Teams; Ministry of Justice Policy teams; Deputy Lieutenants; Respected Faith Leaders and representatives; Women’s Criminal Justice System and community providers and Academic Specialists. The research team were honoured to have such significant and well-respected speakers to share their reflections on the event and associated research. The speakers included:

• Alison Lowe OBE West Yorkshire Deputy Mayor Police and Crime Nominee
• Naz Shah MP Labour MP for Bradford West
• Fadi Itani OBE Chief Executive Officer at Muslim Charities Forum
• Michelle Thompson Regional Senior Probation Officer, Women’s Services, for the Yorkshire and Humber Probation Region

The event brought together a range of specialist practitioners, leaders and innovators across the Criminal Justice System, Community Support Providers, Policy Makers and the Academic Community, to learn from Muslim women affected by the justice system; to listen, reflect and commit to creating systemic change for women from ethnic minority groups.

The approach adopted by the research team, is to embody cultural humility within the philosophy, to recognise and respond to power imbalances, to develop partnerships with specialist provisions who advocate for others and to commit to self- awareness, self-critique and reflective practice. The findings of the research discussed at the event, focus upon specific themes shared in the narratives of women, this included:

• Shame, (Dis)Honour and the impacts upon familial and community relationships.
• The significance and symbolism associated with relocation.
• The importance of trust, safe disclosure and relationships with criminal justice staff.

The next stage of the project has been funded by the Barrow Cadbury Trust, as the research team strive to create a platform for the voices of Young Muslim Women leaving prison. The next iteration of the research involves the team developing preventative and educational strategies to enhance the faith-based and school-based approaches when working with young Muslim women at risk of entering the CJS. Data collection for this research is ongoing and findings of the project will be published in a report in 2025.

Dr Alexandria Bradley is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Leeds Beckett University.