Harriet Wistrich, a notable human rights lawyer, shares her inspiring journey from filmmaker to legal advocate for women. She discusses her landmark victories, including representing women who killed their abusers. The conversation addresses systemic failures in protecting victims of violence and the emotional weight of cases like that of John Warboys. Harriet reflects on her upbringing and influences, while also highlighting the role of music in advocacy. She humorously imagines life on a desert island, paired with her love for white wine and literature.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
DJ Hazza and Women's Rights
Harriet Wistrich, known as DJ Hazza, played music during lockdown.
She organized a women's rights march with a powerful moment playing Gloria Gaynor.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Enid Wistrich's Activism
Wistrich's mother, Enid, was a local councillor and GLC member.
Enid clashed with Mary Whitehouse over film censorship, earning her the title of "most dangerous woman."
question_answer ANECDOTE
Ernest Wistrich's Escape
Ernest, Wistrich's father, narrowly escaped Nazi Germany on the last train out.
His mother and sister survived using false papers, posing as Polish Christians.
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Middlemarch, written by George Eliot, is a novel that delves into the complexities of provincial life in 19th-century England. The story revolves around the intersecting lives of its characters, particularly Dorothea Brooke and Dr. Tertius Lydgate, as they navigate marriage, vocation, and social class. Eliot critiques the conventional romance narratives of her time by portraying marriage as a complex and often problematic institution. The novel also explores themes of idealism, self-interest, hypocrisy, and the constraints on women's lives. Set in the fictional town of Middlemarch between 1829 and 1832, the novel incorporates historical events such as the Great Reform Act of 1832 and early developments in medicine. Eliot's realistic portrayal of ordinary human life, with its quiet tragedies and small triumphs, has made 'Middlemarch' a masterpiece of English literature.
Harriet Wistrich is one of the country’s most prominent human rights lawyers. In 2016 she founded the Centre for Women’s Justice and over the course of her career, she has won landmark victories in very difficult legal cases. She has helped women imprisoned after killing their abusers regain their freedom. She’s also represented women seeking justice from the Metropolitan Police over their deployment of undercover police officers who have had relationships and children with female activists.
After studying PPE at Oxford, Harriet moved to Liverpool and began her career working in film and documentaries. She retrained as a lawyer in her early thirties and in 1990 co-founded the pressure group Justice for Women.
Harriet lives in London with her partner, the journalist Julie Bindel.
DISC ONE: I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
DISC TWO: No Woman, No Cry (Live At The Rainbow Theatre, London / June 1, 1977) - Bob Marley and the Wailers
DISC THREE: Puff the Magic Dragon - Gregory Isaacs
DISC FOUR: Rumanian Freilach - Daniel Ahaviel
DISC FIVE: Back to Black - Amy Winehouse
DISC SIX: Ain’t Nobody - Chaka Khan
DISC SEVEN: Police And Thieves - Junior Murvin
DISC EIGHT: Shame Shame Shame - Shirley & Company
BOOK CHOICE: Middlemarch by George Eliot
LUXURY ITEM: A fridge with an endless supply of white wine
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
Desert Island Discs 
