Dear Supporters,

The Domestic Abuse Bill is finally making its way through the legislative process in Westminster.

The Bill makes no provision for the issues faced by domestic abuse victims and their children in the family court, except for provision around banning direct cross examination by (convicted) perpetrators. Whilst this is cautiously welcomed, it will not achieve the Government’s stated aim of ‘Transforming the Response to Domestic Abuse’.

In April 2019 Louise Haigh MP brought a Private Members Bill forward calling for the removal of the parental rights of rapists and for an independent investigation into the family courts. This Private Member’s Bill did not progress for some reason and instead, in response, in June 2019 the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced a ‘90 Day Internal Review’.

We are still waiting for the findings of this review to be published. When the Domestic Abuse Bill had its second reading in Westminster on 28th April 2020, MP’s stated that this was an important report to have available to inform the drafting of the Bill and said that the MoJ had given assurances that the report would be made available.

The interim report the MoJ issued in October 2019 stated:

"The evidence gathered highlights systemic issues in relation to how risk is identified and managed which need to be addressed to ensure that victims and children involved in these proceedings are better protected from further harm"

"Many respondents who were victims of abuse felt that their experience of family court process (including but not limited to direct cross-examination by their abuser) was degrading and re-traumatising."

“Many of these submissions pointed to challenges faced within the family justice system in the application of Practice Direction 12J, the use of Section 91(14) orders and FPR Part 3A, and Practice Direction 3AA.”

Link to the ‘Progress Update’ October 2019: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/841064/assessing-children-harm-progress-update.PDF

We now ask for your help to urge the Ministry of Justice to make the report available as soon as possible and in time for the findings to be given full consideration during the drafting of the amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill.

Call to Action: Please email your MP by this weekend, we have written the update above in a form to use basic letter template that you may cut & paste if you wish.  You can find your MP's contact details via this link: https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mps/

We have also attached an update from the #thecourtsaid campaign that explains some of the wider concerns of the survivor community. 

Thanks in advance!

Much love,

Rachel & Teresa xx