Many domestic abuse victims who flee dangerous relationships will end up in the civil family courts. Whilst criminal law in the UK has advanced in recent years, and made coercive control a crime, family law remains in the dark ages. Perpetrators use the family courts to continue their cycle of abuse, and the outdated system enables it.
Read moreFamily Courts Allow Perpetrators To Weaponize the System: They Have Betrayed Mothers & Children
Psychologically unsafe and violent fathers are using the family court system to terrorise mothers. When a dangerous father can no longer wield power and control in the home, they revert to using the family court to continue their torment and abuse. Some judges and welfare reporters are abusing their position to protect and assist dangerous fathers at the expense of the safety of children.
Read moreFamily Court: How to Write a Statement When Your Child is Resisting Contact
One of the hardest things to do when you are feeling worried and stressed is to write a statement for the family court, which is 'judge friendly’. Judges and welfare reporters have unreasonably high expectations of parents claiming abuse and often don't realise how victims and abusers present. Your statement is your one chance to show the judge your true character, not the character the abuser is portraying you to be.
Read moreFamily Court: The 5 Mistakes That Will Come Back to Haunt the Narcissistic Parent
The narcissist will use any given opportunity to extract an emotional reaction from you, the healthy parent. The narcissist knows the child is your Achilles heel and will happily use the child as a pawn to bait and torment you.
When the narcissistic parent prevents contact, doesn't allow the child to message you during their parenting time, or stands in the background of Facetime or Skype calls, it causes trauma to their child.
Read moreThe Narcissistic Abuser and the Parental Alienation Counterclaim
To be accused of Parental Alienation in a Family Court action is frightening, particularly if the accuser is also the abuser. Extremely narcissistic individuals will accuse their ex-partner of the behaviour which they are guilty. It's a form of manipulation which the narcissist is well versed. In a courtroom, with their charming façade, the narcissist will always win a battle of words. They are convincing, and they can deceive judges confidently. One must look deep into the evidence to find the truth.
Read moreIntractable Contact Disputes and Domestic Abuse: What Judges Need to Understand
In Intractable contact disputes (high conflict), the judge has a difficult decision to make, and one in which they shall seek expert advice to assist them. The Family Court and professionals involved can benefit from a deeper understanding of the changing behaviours in our society and how to recognise them in difficult cases; what appears to be an intractable contact dispute may in fact be a domestic abuse (risk) case; a good understanding of coercive control is required to make a contact decision which keeps the child safe from harm.
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