Stop court applications for unsafe parental contact
The Issue
When I was pregnant with my daughter, a time that should have been filled with joy and anticipation, I faced a harrowing ordeal. My ex-partner, who was violent and abusive, tried to kill me. Even after such a traumatic experience, the legal system still allows him to apply to the court for contact with our daughter. This is despite the fact that social services have been involved from the beginning, consistently stating that any contact would not be safe.
Allowing a parent who has demonstrated violent behavior to even apply for contact with their child when there has never been a safe relationship is not only dangerous, but it also retraumatizes the victim. This petition is deeply personal to me because it not only affects my daughter and me, but it also highlights a significant flaw in the legal system that impacts many families.
Statistics show that domestic violence is a critical issue in the UK, with an estimated 2.3 million victims of domestic abuse aged 16 to 74 years in the year ending March 2021, with women being most affected. Additionally, children are often the unseen victims, suffering emotionally and psychologically when exposed to such environments.
The current system allows individuals with a history of violence to apply for contact, which places unnecessary emotional and psychological stress on the victims who have already survived significant trauma. The courts need a more stringent screening process to prevent such situations from arising, where applications for contact are immediately denied in cases with a history of violence or where social services have advised against it.
We must protect our children and ensure their wellbeing is prioritized in every legal decision. It's time for the UK government to amend family law to prevent individuals with a documented history of violence or severe neglect from having the opportunity to apply for contact without undergoing thorough risk assessments and evaluations.
Sign this petition to urge the Government and the Family Law Courts to enact these protections, shielding vulnerable families from further trauma and ensuring the safety of children. Together, we can advocate for a legal system that truly protects and prioritizes the best interests of the child and survivor parents.
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The Issue
When I was pregnant with my daughter, a time that should have been filled with joy and anticipation, I faced a harrowing ordeal. My ex-partner, who was violent and abusive, tried to kill me. Even after such a traumatic experience, the legal system still allows him to apply to the court for contact with our daughter. This is despite the fact that social services have been involved from the beginning, consistently stating that any contact would not be safe.
Allowing a parent who has demonstrated violent behavior to even apply for contact with their child when there has never been a safe relationship is not only dangerous, but it also retraumatizes the victim. This petition is deeply personal to me because it not only affects my daughter and me, but it also highlights a significant flaw in the legal system that impacts many families.
Statistics show that domestic violence is a critical issue in the UK, with an estimated 2.3 million victims of domestic abuse aged 16 to 74 years in the year ending March 2021, with women being most affected. Additionally, children are often the unseen victims, suffering emotionally and psychologically when exposed to such environments.
The current system allows individuals with a history of violence to apply for contact, which places unnecessary emotional and psychological stress on the victims who have already survived significant trauma. The courts need a more stringent screening process to prevent such situations from arising, where applications for contact are immediately denied in cases with a history of violence or where social services have advised against it.
We must protect our children and ensure their wellbeing is prioritized in every legal decision. It's time for the UK government to amend family law to prevent individuals with a documented history of violence or severe neglect from having the opportunity to apply for contact without undergoing thorough risk assessments and evaluations.
Sign this petition to urge the Government and the Family Law Courts to enact these protections, shielding vulnerable families from further trauma and ensuring the safety of children. Together, we can advocate for a legal system that truly protects and prioritizes the best interests of the child and survivor parents.
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Petition created on 7 November 2026