Legal Scholar Prof. Susan Edwards KC and Stephen Kamugasa Re-examine Civic Safety and Self-Defence in Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Legal Scholar Prof. Susan Edwards KC and Stephen Kamugasa Re-examine Civic Safety and Self-Defence in Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa

Taipei, Taiwan — Legal scholar, activist, and barrister Professor Susan Edwards KC joins host Stephen Kamugasa on the latest episode of Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa to address a critical intersection of modern society: the legal, political, and moral frameworks that govern civil safety and domestic violence.

The episode, titled "The Fabric of Safety: Weaving Civil Society and Citizenship to Address Domestic Violence", forms part of the podcast's ongoing 2026 Citizenship and Civil Society series. Drawing from over four decades of pioneering research that helped shape statutory reforms—including the landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021—Professor Edwards critiques traditional legal doctrines, specifically challenging how male-centric frameworks of "proportionality" and "reasonableness" have historically failed women acting in self-defence after enduring prolonged coercive abuse.

The conversation explores key societal and institutional themes, including the following:

• The Evolution of Self-Defence Laws: Re-examining traditional legal tests through the lived realities of victims of prolonged domestic abuse and coercive control.

• From Private Victimhood to Public Citizenship: The transformative power of survivors—such as Gisèle Pelicot—who waive anonymity to challenge institutional inertia and demand legal accountability.

• Legal Blind Spots and Misogyny: Addressing persistent cultural and courtroom loopholes, including the troubling normalisation of "rough sex" defences and the necessity of early consent education.

"Physical safety cannot be viewed merely as a private matter or an individual privilege," says host Stephen Kamugasa, a non-practising barrister and FRSA. "It is the foundational baseline of citizenship. When state institutions or outdated legal assumptions fail to protect individuals in their most vulnerable spaces, civil society must step in to redefine accountability."

The full episode, along with accompanying transcripts and written synopses, is available now on all major podcast platforms and at Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa.

About Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa is an independent podcast exploring citizenship, institutional governance, leadership, and civil society. Hosted by Stephen Kamugasa—a non-practising barrister, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), and former Ugandan refugee—the platform engages global scholars, practitioners, and leaders in rigorous, high-minded dialogue on the pressing civic challenges of the modern era. Media Contact:

• Name: Stephen Kamugasa

• Title: Host & Producer, Conversations with Stephen Kamugasa

• Email: skamugasa@gmail.com

• Website: The Kamugasa Challenge

• Location: Taipei, Taiwan