NEWSBYGLORIA KILLIAN

The Women and Innocence Conference was held only three weeks ago, yet there have already been new and exciting developments. The conference was the first such event staged by and for female exonerees and their supporters. Attended by exonerees, family members, lawyers, authors and Innocence Project members, the conference broke new ground by reaching out to the family and friends of wrongfully convicted women who are still incarcerated.

Networking, sharing experiences, and healing trauma were addressed, but a major emphasis was on focusing attention on female wrongful convictions. Participants were in agreement that women have been generally overlooked in the Innocence Movement for various reasons, with family members and friends of wrongfully convicted women often finding it more difficult to obtain help for their loved ones. Women’s cases often involve the death or alleged abuse of a child, and the stigma attached to those cases has also been a problem.

The conference, and the Women and Innocence Network, were formed to bring attention to wrongfully convicted women. Cases of wrongfully convicted women were presented at the conference and participants wrote cards and letters to these women. Responses have been received and the incarcerated women have been both surprised and grateful to be remembered. As one inmate wrote, “receiving your letter and knowing that you understand what I’m going through has been so helpful. Most importantly knowing, that you survived this experience, gives me added strength to hang on.” Encouraging these women and helping them with support and resources is a primary focus of the new network.