Stop men abusing the law to gaslight women

Content warning: sexual abuse

The law is supposed to protect victims – not help powerful men hide.

But again and again, we’re seeing men use legal loopholes to keep in the shadows while they shut down the women who call them out.

This isn’t some abstract legal question – it’s harming women right now.

Women we’re supporting like Liv Nervo, whose ex-partner tricked her into pregnancy. He’s not looking after his child, but he’s using her identity to hide what he’s done. How can someone avoid responsibility for a child, but still use that child as a shield?

In another case, an Oxford academic is accused of raping a junior female colleague, who we’re supporting. He has secured an anonymity order from the High Court. This keeps his name hidden – while her life and career have been turned upside down.

This isn’t justice. It’s legal gaslighting.

Laws meant to protect women are being twisted into tools to protect the men accused of harming them.

Naming these men helps to keep women safe. It makes it harder for them to do it again. And it gives the women we’re supporting a chance of justice.

We’re appealing the High Court’s decision to protect this Oxford professor.

But challenging powerful men takes legal expertise and money. If we want to stop men using the courts to silence women, we have to stand together.

No more gaslighting. No more hiding behind the law.