Where the Law Falls Short
Violence against women, self-defence, and systemic failure
Fightback is a powerful short film examining how the criminal justice system treats women who have experienced serious, often prolonged abuse.
The film explores cases where women are serving life sentences after acting in circumstances shaped by violence, coercion and fear - yet their experiences are minimised or misunderstood once they enter the courtroom. Context is stripped away, trauma is reframed as intent, and survival is judged through legal frameworks that fail to reflect the reality of abuse.
Narrated by Emma Thompson, Fightback brings together families, women’s voices from prison, and insights from Sally Challen, whose case exposed deep flaws in how the law understands violence against women.
What emerges is not a series of rare mistakes, but a systemic failure - one rooted in outdated assumptions about abuse, responsibility and women’s behaviour.
This film calls for urgent reflection, reform, and accountability.
If this work resonates, please consider supporting it. Donations help keep this project going, amplify unheard voices, and push for lasting change.
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