Turning Pain Into Purpose: Figen Murray OBE on Creating Martyn’s Law

In this episode, we speak with Figen Murray OBE, psychotherapist, campaigner, and the driving force behind Martyn’s Law — about transforming unimaginable tragedy into national change. Figen shares how her son Martyn’s death in the Manchester Arena attack reshaped her life’s purpose and how determination, kindness, and what she calls her “mosquito mindset” helped move entirely new security legislation through Parliament.

Figen’s story, from studying counter-terrorism to spending weeks in the House of Commons and Lords as her work was scrutinised, reveals the reality of building a law from the ground up, the emotional toll of campaigning, and the power of human connection in driving forward change.

We explore how she works with politicians, venue operators, security specialists, and schools to help make public spaces safer, and why she believes terrorism awareness is everyone’s responsibility.

You’ll hear:
➡️ How Figen initiated and led the campaign that created Martyn’s Law
➡️ Why venue security was previously optional — and how that is changing
➡️ How forgiveness, resilience, and kindness helped her continue the work
➡️ What she’s learned from speaking thousands of times across the UK and internationally
➡️ The tactics online radicalisers use to target young people
➡️ Why simple, everyday awareness and acts of kindness can strengthen communities

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫