Domestic abuse is a complex issue with far-reaching consequences. When domestic abuse is involved in family court proceedings, it is crucial that judges, lawyers and other professionals involved have a thorough understanding of it. However, research shows that the UK family court system does not always fully appreciate the realities of domestic abuse and its impact on victims. This can have severe repercussions on the safety and well-being of survivors of domestic abuse and their children.
Lack of Training and Expertise
One of the major issues is a lack of proper training and expertise among those working within the family courts to identify and comprehend domestic abuse. While most professionals have good intentions, domestic abuse extends far beyond just physical violence. Coercive and controlling behaviors, psychological abuse and the exploitation of power imbalances are difficult to detect, yet have a massive influence over victims. Without dedicated training, these subtler forms of abuse may go unnoticed or misunderstood in family court proceedings.
A House of Commons report found the family justice system to have an inconsistent approach to domestic abuse, with training varying greatly across the country. There are calls to ensure all family court professionals receive training from specialist domestic abuse organizations, so they understand the full definition encompassed by domestic abuse and can identify it in its various forms. Without proper expertise, the complex nature of abusive relationships will continue being inadequately appreciated in custody and residency decisions.
Failure to See Beyond Physical Violence
Even when domestic abuse is raised in cases, the focus often remains solely on physical violence. However, physical abuse is estimated to represent only about a third of domestic abuse incidents. The emotional control, isolation and other insidious behaviors used by abusers can have an immense, long-term influence over victims yet may leave no physical marks. If courts fail to look beyond physical injuries, they will be missing the full scale of abuse experienced.
Subtle signs of ongoing domestic abuse may continue being overlooked, putting victims and children at risk of further harm. Considering domestic abuse as only constituted by physical assault shows an incomplete understanding of its complex realities that courts must rectify to make properly informed decisions. Failing to recognize the full range of domestic abuse can seriously endanger those involved.
Impact on Victims Not Fully Appreciated
Research also finds that family courts do not always fully appreciate the severe and long-lasting impact of domestic abuse on victims. Prolonged exposure to coercive control, psychological abuse and intimidation has been shown to cause immense trauma with effects comparable to post-traumatic stress disorder. However, patterns of abusive behavior may still be downplayed or minimized in legal decisions.
The complex trauma sustained by prolonged abuse can deeply impair a mother or father’s ability to protect themselves and their children from further harm from an abusive ex-partner. However, it seems courts do not consistently understand how the trauma of abuse experienced by victims taints their ability to co-parent safely after separation. A failure to acknowledge how deeply abuse psychologically scars its victims puts them in danger of further control by ex-partners through custody and visitation arrangements. More needs to be done to help those in the family justice system recognize the profound and long-term effects of domestic abuse on its survivors.
The Need For Urgent Reform
For the UK family courts and child contact proceedings to adequately protect domestic abuse victims and their children, drastic reforms are necessary. Specialist domestic abuse awareness training must be mandated for all legal and other professionals involved in family cases. Guidelines should emphasize looking beyond just physical violence to recognize coercive control and other non-physical forms of abuse. Consideration should also be given to how sustained patterns of abuse trauma can severely impair victims’ abilities to co-parent safely. With greater understanding of domestic abuse’s complex realities, the family justice system will be better equipped to make fully informed decisions to uphold safety. Victims and children deserve nothing less.