I am currently embroiled in a custody battle with my abusive ex-partner, who has found a way to wield the family court system as a tool of continued emotional and financial abuse. This horrifying situation is not just affecting me, but it is inflicting harm on my innocent child, who becomes the unwitting collateral damage in this battle for "fairness". It is unjust for courts to mandate a mother who is a victim of abuse to grant her abuser constant access to herself and her child simply because the abuser is the child's father. This is not fairness; this is complicity in furthering abuse.

Emotional abuse, while less visible than physical abuse, leaves deep and lasting scars. Numerous studies have shown that children exposed to emotional abuse suffer from psychological issues well into adulthood, such as depression, anxiety, and developmental delays. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, approximately 50% of men who physically abuse their wives also abuse their children. Yet family courts often overlook emotional abuse, focusing only on physical signs.

In Maryland, family courts must reevaluate their stance and policies to ensure the protection and safety of abuse victims and their children. The first step is acknowledging that emotional abuse is just as damaging as physical abuse and should be treated with the same level of seriousness in custody and visitation cases. Family courts must prioritize the emotional and physical safety of children above "parental rights" that allow an abuser to maintain control over their victims.

We propose that Maryland family courts implement mandatory training for judges and court officials on recognizing emotional abuse and understanding its impact on victims and their children. Furthermore, courts should be required to consider the emotional well-being of the child when making custody and visitation decisions, ensuring that no child is left at risk of harm.

This is a clarion call for justice and protection for all victims of emotional abuse in Maryland. It's time for the courts to stand on the side of the vulnerable, to ensure that the cycle of abuse is broken, and that children are not used as pawns in a game that they never asked to be part of.

Sign this petition and help make Maryland a place where justice truly means justice for all, where victims are protected, and where children can grow up safe and free from abuse.