She was the first woman to give evidence to a House of Commons select committee about the sexual degradation of women and girls at the hands of both male prisoners and warders.

[8] This led directly to the Gaols Act 1823, which was introduced and supported by the Home Secretary Robert Peel.

In particular Elizabeth Fry was involved in the amelioration of the conditions of women and girls deported to Australia "in little better than slave ships".

It is worth noting that it was not until 1833 that slavery was abolished in the then British Empire, some 10 years after the act and some 20 after her work started.

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