I am being made to pay my abuser 

I am a victim of domestic abuse, both physical and emotional, at the hands of my ex-partner. And now, even post-separation, I continue to be bullied through misuse of the Child Maintenance Service (CMS).

The current methodology for child maintenance calculation seems insensitive to the struggles of parents, specifically fathers like me, who have experienced domestic abuse. Not only does this inflict emotional distress, but it also compromises our ability to adequately provide for our children.

Statistically, around 1 in 6 men will be victims of domestic abuse in their lifetime in the UK (Office for National Statistics, 2019). However, the CMS fail to consider these experiences in their calculations, enabling continued abuse post-separation and further jeopardizing the welfare of our children.

We are not against fulfilling our obligations to our children but wish for a more balanced evaluation methodology, one that is adjusted to the realities of post-separation abuse. We want the CMS not to be a tool for the continuation of abusive manipulation, but an instrument that truly ensures the welfare of the children involved.

**Campaign to Reform the CMS: Stand Up for Abused Fathers**

As a father who has suffered domestic abuse, I am trapped in a cruel cycle perpetuated by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). Despite enduring physical, financial, and emotional abuse, I am forced to pay my abuser half of my wages while being denied access to my own son. This is not just unfair; it is a continuation of the abuse I have endured.

My ex-partner manipulated the CMS to further control and exploit me. She registered our son without my knowledge, leaving me off the birth certificate, and she has used CMS as a weapon to extract money from me while I struggle to maintain my relationship with my child. I am forced to pay £75 weekly for just one hour of supervised visitation, a heartbreaking reminder of my isolation as a father.

Despite providing the CMS with evidence of my injuries, court documents, and professional reports detailing my abuse, they have shown a shocking lack of care. They continue to demand payments to my abuser while failing to investigate my claims of fraud and neglecting to support vulnerable fathers like myself.

It’s time to reform the CMS so that it does not facilitate ongoing abuse. We need a system that protects fathers from exploitation and ensures that child maintenance payments are fair and just. 

**Join our campaign to demand change. Sign our petition to ensure the CMS serves its rightful purpose: protecting families and prioritizing the well-being of children, not enabling continued abuse.**

We call upon the government to reassess the current CMS system and its calculation methods. To make it sensitive to the plight of fathers who have endured domestic abuse and to ensure that child maintenance contributions are assessed fairly. Addressing this will lead to a more just resolution, prevent potential misuse, and protect victims of abuse.

Please sign this petition to spur a change in the CMS in favor of abused fathers.