Women Beyond Walls

Hueman Group Media
  • 5.0 (5)
  • DOCUMENTARY
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Around the world, nearly one million women are behind bars — and that number is rising. Often this is not for serious crimes, but because they are poor, because they’ve survived violence, or because the system failed them long before a conviction. Women Beyond Walls is a podcast that takes you beyond tired prison stereotypes to listen to real-life stories from incredible individuals: from women who have lived through incarceration, as well as from those reimagining what justice could look like.

  1. Presenting: Everyday Injustice Podcast

    FEB 10 · BONUS

    Presenting: Everyday Injustice Podcast

    Today, instead of a Women Beyond Walls episode, we’re featuring an episode of Everyday Injustice. Everyday Injustice is a podcast from Davis Vanguard, a nonprofit watchdog news organization based in Davis, California. Their show dives into issues like reform, mass incarceration, wrongful convictions, and more.  In this episode, they speak with Stephanie Akhter, director of the Women’s Justice Commission at the Council on Criminal Justice, about why women’s involvement in the criminal legal system is rising, how their experiences differ from men’s, and what meaningful reform actually requires. If you like what you hear, check out Everyday Injustice here: https://davisvanguard.org/everyday-injustice-a-criminal-justice-reform-podcast/

    40 min
  2. What Can We Do To Fix This Broken System? with Senator Kim Pate

    12/02/2025

    What Can We Do To Fix This Broken System? with Senator Kim Pate

    When we talk about ‘public safety,’ we rarely talk about what actually keeps people safe: strong communities, basic needs met, and systems that heal instead of harm. Senator Kim Pate is a lifelong advocate for criminal legal reform. She’s worked both on the frontlines with women inside Canadian prisons and in the Senate advancing policy change. Kim makes a clear case for shifting resources from punishment to community and building the supports that prevent criminalisation in the first place. To learn more about some of the issues touched upon in this episode, visit www.womenbeyondwalls.org/kim Follow Women Beyond Walls: On Instagram: instagram.com/womenbeyondwalls On Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/women-beyond-walls/ On BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/did:plc:x4hfl72t7456bi2w2ocajb6c

    37 min
  3. The Death Penalty is a Feminist Issue, with Leila of Iran Human Rights

    11/18/2025

    The Death Penalty is a Feminist Issue, with Leila of Iran Human Rights

    In Iran, under the country’s “blood money” laws, even in death, women are valued less. And for those facing the death penalty, discrimination runs deep from child marriage to poverty and domestic violence. Today’s guest is Leila, a British-Iranian human rights advocate with Iran Human Rights, an organization fighting to abolish the death penalty. Leila reveals how Iran’s justice system is used as a tool of repression against women and why international solidarity can literally save lives. To learn more about some of the issues touched upon in this episode, visit www.womenbeyondwalls.org/leila Learn more about Iran Human Rights: https://www.iranhr.net Follow Women Beyond Walls: On Instagram:instagram.com/womenbeyondwalls On Linkedin:linkedin.com/company/women-beyond-walls/ On BlueSky:bsky.app/profile/did:plc:x4hfl72t7456bi2w2ocajb6c

    34 min
  4. Legal Aid is a Right, Not a Privilege, with Nicolás Laino

    11/04/2025

    Legal Aid is a Right, Not a Privilege, with Nicolás Laino

    Today Lawyer and human rights advocate Nicolás Laino discusses how poverty, violence, and inequality contribute to women’s criminalization. He shares stories from his work as a public defender in Argentina, the importance of early, gender-sensitive legal aid, and how lawyers and policymakers can better support women behind bars. Nicolás also highlights global efforts to train legal professionals and include people with lived experience in shaping justice. To learn more about some of the issues touched upon in this episode, visit womenbeyondwalls.org/nicolas Photo essay - women in prison in Argentina - drug offences: theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/07/argentina-drug-offences-women-jails-photo-essay Grassroots Justice Network: grassrootsjusticenetwork.org UN Legal Aid Principles and Guidelines: penalreform.org/issues/pre-trial-justice/4716-2/legal-aid-principles-guidelines/ https://legalempowermentfund.org The Woman in the Line movie: imdb.com/title/tt27698095/ Follow Women Beyond Walls On Instagram: instagram.com/womenbeyondwalls On Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/women-beyond-walls/ On BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/did:plc:x4hfl72t7456bi2w2ocajb6c

    24 min
  5. Survived and Punished, with Harriet Wistrich

    10/21/2025

    Survived and Punished, with Harriet Wistrich

    Harriet Wistrich is a pioneering lawyer and activist who has spent 30 years supporting survivors when the criminal legal system falls short. Today, we go beyond prejudices to discuss landmark cases where women were punished for defending themselves against abuse. Harriet explains why it’s so important for courts to consider long-term abuse, coercive control, and trauma and why legal reform is still needed to ensure women get fair trials. To learn more about some of the issues touched upon in this episode, visit www.womenbeyondwalls.org/harriet Sister in Law: Fighting for Justice in a System Designed by Men – Harriet Wistrich’s Book: www.penguin.co.uk/books/455720/sister-in-law-by-wistrich-harriet/9781804995990 CWJ Report Women Who Kill: How the State Criminalizes Women We Might Otherwise Be Burying – 2021 Centre for Women’s Justice: www.centreforwomensjustice.org.uk International Feminist Legal Network: www.feminist-legal.com Video: Emma Humphreys - An Inspiring Legacy by Pratibha Parmar Video: Fri’s Story (CWJ): https://vimeo.com/889156729/29c0b14998?fl=pl&fe=vl Follow Women Beyond Walls On Instagram: instagram.com/womenbeyondwalls On Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/women-beyond-walls/ On BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/did:plc:x4hfl72t7456bi2w2ocajb6c

    34 min
  6. Women Are Paying the Price for the War on Drugs, with Marie Nougier

    10/07/2025

    Women Are Paying the Price for the War on Drugs, with Marie Nougier

    Women are the fastest-growing prison population worldwide, often locked up for low-level drug offenses tied to poverty, coercion, or survival. In this minisode, Marie Nougier from the International Drug Policy Consortium talks about moving beyond punitive drug laws that harm women and what  compassionate, evidence-based alternatives could look like. Learn more about the International Drug Policy Consortium: idpc.net 10-point plan: Gender-sensitive drug policies for women (2021): www.penalreform.org/resource/10-point-plan-gender-sensitive-drug-policies-for-women “No One Believed Me”: A Global Overview of Women Facing the Death Penalty for Drug Offenses: https://dpw.lawschool.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/No-One-Believed-Me-A-Global-Overview-of-Women-Facing-the-Death-Penalty-for-Drug-Offenses.pdf  IDCP: Justice is setting them free: Women, drug policies, and incarceration in Latin America: ​​https://idpc.net/publications/2023/11/justice-is-setting-them-free-women-drug-policies-and-incarceration-in-latin-america   To learn more about some of the issues touched upon in this episode, visit www.womenbeyondwalls.org/marie Follow Women Beyond Walls: On Instagram: instagram.com/womenbeyondwalls On Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/women-beyond-walls/ On BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/did:plc:x4hfl72t7456bi2w2ocajb6c

    25 min
  7. Drug Users Need Care, Not Punishment with Rosma Karlina

    09/23/2025

    Drug Users Need Care, Not Punishment with Rosma Karlina

    Today, Rosma Karlina talks about her experiences with drug use and her time in prison, highlighting the harm caused by incarceration and forced rehabilitation programs. She also explains why health-focused, human-rights approaches like peer support, counselling, and community programmes are so important for women who use drugs. Rosma is the director of SPINN, an Indonesian community group supporting women and trans women who use drugs. She is also part of the International Network of Formerly Incarcerated Women.  Learn more about the International Network of Formerly Incarcerated Women: theinfiw.com To learn more about some of the issues touched upon in this episode, visit www.womenbeyondwalls.org/rosma Follow Women Beyond Walls On Instagram: instagram.com/womenbeyondwalls On Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/women-beyond-walls/ On BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/did:plc:x4hfl72t7456bi2w2ocajb6c

    27 min
  8. Imprison a Mother, Imprison a Family, with Dr. Shona Minson

    09/09/2025

    Imprison a Mother, Imprison a Family, with Dr. Shona Minson

    Some say that when you imprison a mother, you imprison a family. Today, Dr. Shona Minson, Researcher at Oxford University’s Centre for Criminology, shares her groundbreaking work on the often invisible impact of maternal imprisonment on children. She goes beyond stereotypes that label incarcerated women as “bad mothers,” showing how poverty, stigma and systemic discrimination push women into prison and how these injustices reverberate through generations. BBC Video, What happens when your Mum goes to prison: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYLKW4aOhWE Talking About Methods Podcast: Shona Minson on Vicarious Trauma in Socio-legal research: open.spotify.com/episode/0ZBIzHyDYOf1DohjY4gzav YouTube: Safeguarding Children when Sentencing Mothers: youtube.com/watch?v=XBY7hjsb-O0 To learn more about some of the issues touched upon in Pamela’s episode, visit www.womenbeyondwalls.org/shona Follow Women Beyond Walls On Instagram: instagram.com/womenbeyondwalls On Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/women-beyond-walls/ On BlueSky: bsky.app/profile/did:plc:x4hfl72t7456bi2w2ocajb6c

    37 min
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5 Ratings

About

Around the world, nearly one million women are behind bars — and that number is rising. Often this is not for serious crimes, but because they are poor, because they’ve survived violence, or because the system failed them long before a conviction. Women Beyond Walls is a podcast that takes you beyond tired prison stereotypes to listen to real-life stories from incredible individuals: from women who have lived through incarceration, as well as from those reimagining what justice could look like.

Information

  • Creator
    Hueman Group Media
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Hueman Group Media
  • Show Website
    Women Beyond Walls