Menopause and ADHD, Flatpack World Champion, Women and Crime

Woman's Hour tackles a powerful mix of social, health, and cultural issues in this episode. The programme opens with a harrowing account of Abdul Halim Khan, a former imam in East London, who was sentenced to life in prison for a series of sexual assaults on women and girls from 2005 to 2014, exploiting his religious authority and manipulating spiritual beliefs to silence victims. Experts Aisha K. Gill and BBC religion editor Aleem Makboul unpack the layered abuse of trust, cultural stigma, and weaponization of faith. The conversation then shifts to the intersection of menopause and ADHD, with GP Dr Helen Wall discussing how hormonal fluctuations can unmask long-hidden neurodivergent traits in women, leading to burnout and emotional collapse. Wall emphasizes the need for better diagnosis, HRT, and self-advocacy, especially given systemic dismissal by healthcare providers. The episode celebrates Hayley McCauley, the Flat Pack World Champion, who shares her journey from DIY hobby to global title and her mission to empower women through workshops and simplified instructions. Finally, the show highlights the success of Birmingham’s intensive supervision court, a pilot program that keeps women out of prison by offering tailored rehabilitation, with personal testimony from a participant who transformed her life through the program. The episode closes with Millie Fife, Farming Woman of the Year, championing food education through her Countryside Kitchen, connecting urban youth with the origins of their food.