Anita Arora, District Crown Prosecutor backs The Vavengers as ‘Advisory Board Member: Justice’
In an ongoing leadership expansion, Anita Arora has been appointed to the position of Advisory Board Member: Justice. Anita is the District Crown Prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service and brings years of public law and justice experience to the organisation with a focused interest in ending Gender-Based Violence.
Anita has been incredibly supportive of The Vavengers from the beginning of the organisation’s partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service. Playing a key role in the organisation’s justice partnerships, Anita has been appointed to this position by the board of trustees to recognise her ongoing input guiding the leadership in our campaigning work. As a strong advocate, Anita will continue advising leadership on continuous legal advocacy partnerships both in the UK and globally.
Anita Arora’s biography:
Anita joined the CPS as a secondee from the independent Criminal Bar in November 2018, intending to stay a year or so, she was persuaded to apply for a permanent post and joined as a full-time District Crown Prosecutor in the Complex Casework Unit 2 years later. Anita immediately took on the role of DA lead for London South Central and expanded the role to include strategic engagement with a wide range of Criminal Justice partners. Anita then moved to a secondment as Area Legal Lead for London South before returning to Area on London South in February 2024.
Anita is a highly experienced criminal lawyer, she was called to the Bar in 1994, and she quickly developed her criminal practice and was in demand to prosecute and defend cases which required great sensitivity. Anita was appointed as a Grade 4 Panel advocate by the CPS in 2012 which recognised both the excellent standard of the advice she gave to the CPS and her advocacy skills in court. She had been appointed very early in her career to the specialist list of RASSO-approved Counsel and continued to prosecute the most serious and complex cases of this type until she left the Bar.
Anita regularly appeared at the Central Criminal Court where these cases were heard. She successfully prosecuted attempted murder and firearms offences, complex frauds and the most challenging rapes and serious sexual offences. She also developed particular expertise in prosecuting domestic abuse cases involving sensitive and complex issues and those in same-sex relationships.
Anita is currently working on a project to identify and understand DA cases where the victim has committed suicide and to consider whether the manslaughter law is currently fit for purpose. She has worked closely with the Institute for Addressing Strangulation to increase awareness and understanding of the new offences and then delivered training to officers at Brixton Police Station. In 2023 she was invited to join the Southwark Council Community Safety Board and the Violence and Vulnerability Strategic Group.
Anita has joined The Vavengers with great legal expertise as an Advisory Board Member focusing on the charity’s justice area of work.