Emma was a writer, campaigner and survivor of male violence who fought an historic struggle to overturn a murder conviction, supported by Justice for Women and other feminist campaigners. Following her release in 1995 she was determined to continue campaigning for the rights of other women who had been subjected to male violence.

Tragically, Emma died only three years after her release from prison. Every year since her death in 1998, the Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize has given two awards to feminist campaigners in honour of Emma. The awards carry a prize of £1,000 and are given to women campaigners and to campaign groups who have, through writing or campaigning, raised awareness of violence against women and children. The awards aim to provide recognition for work against violence and to bring it to the attention of a wider public.

Until 2019 we awarded one individual and one group award per year, and starting in 2009, we have also given occasional awards to an international women’s group.

In 2019 we began to collaborate on the awards with the Centre for Women’s Justice. We now give one Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize, and one Emma Humphreys & Centre for Women’s Justice Prize to a woman or group who has used the law to hold the state to account for violence against women.