Black and Blue plaques (Designed and funded by EARNIES, Lucy Baker Creative Director) A campaign stunt. 19/01/2026. Photographer – Carole Gould.
A woman is killed every three days in the UK. Bereaved families don’t want sympathy, they want change.
The Campaign
Killed Women was started by Carole Gould and Julie Devey, who had had their young daughters murdered by ex-boyfriends and were sure that justice had not been served in the courts. From this, they began campaigning about sentencing for murder that downplays the murder of women who are killed in their homes, usually labelled as domestic homicide.
Killed Women grew with Jhiselle Feanny joining and continues to be made up of bereaved families all who have suffered unimaginable loss and want to work to ensure other families do not have to suffer the same. The campaign seeks to better protect women from the most extreme forms of violence, ensure justice for those whose lives have been taken, and strengthen the rights and support available for families left behind, particularly children.
Carole Gould at the Houses of Parliament, in support of Make It Mandatory, Sex Education Forum and End Violence Against Women Coalition. 19/01/2026. Photo by: Carole Gould
Being shortlisted for the David & Goliath Award is recognition of our work to advocate for bereaved families of homicide due to male violence. Although we are a very small team of four, we continue to engage with and support new families as they navigate this most devastating of life traumas. Our combined lived experiences make Killed Women a campaign group with a powerful voice which cannot be ignored.”
Julie Devey
Co-Founder, Killed Women
The Change
Killed Women has changed and improved national laws for sentencing of domestic homicides that in turn keep all of society safer in Britain. Two government led reviews, initiated by Killed Women, have now been undertaken with a third in progress.
Killed Women produced a report, “You Were Told: A Voice For Killed Women” and presented it to the government using data collected from bereaved families. It has created a culture of awareness around violence against women and girls (VAWG), which can often be clouded in silence. Bereaved male family members have been encouraged to speak out so that men’s voices become part of the VAWG arena which is vital to instil change.
Killed Women also contributed to the introduction of new Restriction Zones that are placed on offenders once released. This will begin to acknowledge the ongoing trauma for families and children facing the potential of “bumping into” the murderer of their loved one.
Their most-recent campaign, “Invisible Women,” is led by Jhiselle Feanny with support from Dr. Hannana Siddiqui of Southall Black Sisters. Invisible Women focuses on Black, minoritised and migrant women who have been left behind in the VAWG strategy. Invisible Women demands accountability, visibility and systemic reform across policing, Domestic Abuse-Related Death Reviews, inquests and support services.
The Future
Regular meetings are held with the Law Commission to help with the progress of the sentencing review for murder and manslaughter along with a meeting with the Ministry of Justice in April. A roundtable meeting has been secured in parliament to progress the Invisible Women campaign with attendees from all key areas in the VAWG sector. Engagement with other campaign groups working in the education sphere continues. A meeting with the education minister was also arranged in April.
Who else was involved?
Carole Gould OBE; Julie Devey OBE; Jhiselle Feanny; Elaine Newborough; Emma King; The Joanna Simpson Foundation; Diana Parkes CBE; Hetti Barkworth-Nanton CBE; Make it Mandatory; Faustine Petron; Dr. Hannana Siddiqui OBE; and Southall Black Sisters.
