Petition to the UK Parliament and Prime Minister

We, the undersigned, call on the UK Government and Parliament to immediately halt and completely reject Clause 76 of the Crime and Policing Bill 2025, which proposes dangerous amendments to the Child Abduction Act 1984. These changes would criminalise protective mothers fleeing domestic abuse with their children, turning a civil matter into a criminal one and exposing vulnerable families to up to 14 years in prison. This is not justice—it's a betrayal of the government's own commitments to halve domestic violence incidents and protect survivors. On the grounds that these amendments will further harm children by punishing protective actions and enabling abusers, we demand their full withdrawal.

The Proposed Changes: Closing a "Loophole" That Ignores Abuse
The amendments aim to extend the criminal offence under Section 1 of the Child Abduction Act 1984 to cover "wrongful retention," where a connected person takes a child abroad with consent but fails to return them. This would apply even in cases where the parent is the primary carer fleeing abuse. The maximum prison sentence would double from seven to 14 years, aligning it with kidnapping penalties to address what the Law Commission calls "undesirable inconsistency." Figures from Reunite International suggest that 40% of international child abduction cases involve wrongful retention.

These proposals have been backed by the Law Commission since their 2014 report and now appear in the Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in April 2025. But why now? Male rights activists have pushed for this since at least November 2014, when the Law Commission first recommended criminalising wrongful retention to close the loophole. On 24 November 2014, the Law Commission stated: "The current legislation regarding child abduction should be changed... offences under Section 1 of the Child Abduction Act 1984 [should be] extended to cover cases of wrongful retention of a child abroad in breach of permission given by another parent or guardian." They also called for doubling sentences to 14 years.

Despite over a decade of advocacy from fathers' rights groups, the government has ignored mounting evidence that these changes will harm the very children they claim to protect. The bill's silence on domestic abuse victims is deafening—there is nothing in the proposal addressing mothers fleeing violence, despite the UK's full awareness of the crisis.

The Hague Convention's Failure: 75-76% of "Abductions" Are Mothers Protecting Children from Abuse
Data from the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction reveals a stark reality: approximately 75-76% of parents labelled as "abductors" are mothers taking desperate action to shield their children from abuse. Official HCCH statistics show that around 75% of Hague petitions are now brought against protective mothers by fathers exploiting the Convention. In 2021 data, 88% of such "abductions" were by custodial parents, with 94% being mothers—many fleeing domestic violence. At least 75% of overseas abductions involve primary-carer mothers escaping abuse, with around 500 new parental abduction cases annually in the UK.

The UK was explicitly warned about this. Yet, the proposed amendments risk punishing these mothers with up to 14 years—7 for abduction and 7 for retention—despite their actions being in the child's best interests. This is not reform; it's punishment.

A Government That Promises to Halve Domestic Violence Ignores Its Own Experts
The UK Government has publicly committed to halving domestic violence incidents, yet it presses forward with a law that shifts these cases from civil to criminal, endangering survivors. How many reports must be ignored?

UN Report by Reem Alsalem (Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls): In her 2023 report (A/HRC/53/36) and 2025 update (A/80/158), Alsalem highlights the link between custody battles, violence against women, and child abduction. She warns that family courts dismiss domestic abuse histories, recommends revising the Hague Convention to better protect victims, and urges states to stop using abduction laws against fleeing mothers. In a joint letter to the HCCH, she called for urgent reforms to prevent the Convention's abuse in violence cases.
The Harm Report (Assessing Risk of Harm to Children and Parents in Private Law Children's Cases, 2020): This expert panel report exposed how domestic abuse, including abduction risks and violence, leaves children vulnerable in family courts. It found that without "objective" evidence, children's experiences of abuse are dismissed, potentially forcing returns to dangerous environments.
Domestic Abuse Commissioner's Reports: The Commissioner's July 2025 report, Victims in Their Own Right? Babies, Children and Young People's Experiences of Domestic Abuse, recognises children as victims under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 but reveals systemic failures. Evidence from 73% of observed hearings and 87% of case files showed domestic abuse routinely sidelined in child arrangements. An October 2025 report warned that underfunded family courts fail survivors, with abuse "falling by the wayside" in decisions about children.
Other Key Reports: The Women's Aid Safe Not Sorry report (2016) detailed how legal changes undermine protections for abused mothers. The Family Court and Domestic Abuse report (2023) by the Commissioner called for cultural change to prioritise abuse evidence. UNVAWG reports and Hague evaluations consistently echo these findings: the Convention fails victims by prioritising swift returns over safety.
The mere fact that male rights activists—pushing this since 2014—support these changes proves we have a serious problem with male-perpetrated abuse in the UK being minimised. Their agenda prioritises "shared parenting" over child protection, as seen in campaigns against legal aid for victims and for presumed access rights.

Reunite International's Bias: Prioritising Abusers Over Children
It is deeply concerning that Reunite International supports these amendments, providing evidence to Parliament in April 2025 for removing the distinction between abduction and retention. This only confirms what mothers have said for years: Reunite is biased toward abusive men, often facilitating returns that expose children to harm rather than advocating for safety assessments.

Expert Voices: The Human Rights Violation at Stake

Kim Fawcett Tomlinson, Lecturer in International Family Law, PhD candidate at Teesside University:

“Criminalising protective mothers for trying to keep their children safe from abuse is not only cruel but also a clear human rights violation of both mother and their child; it undermines the purpose of the Hague Abduction Convention too.”

Angel, Founder of Hagued Mums (mother-led organisation):

“The UK’s proposed amendments to the Child Abduction Act will cause significant and irreversible harm to children. Despite overwhelming evidence from the Harm Report, Hague evaluations, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s report, and the UNVAWG report by Reem Alsalem, Parliament appears ready to ignore these findings. This approach risks prioritising the agenda of male rights activists over the safety, wellbeing, and fundamental rights of vulnerable children and mothers fleeing abuse.”
“Data from The Hague is clear: approximately 76% of parents labelled as ‘abductors’ are mothers taking action to protect their children from abuse. Under the proposed amendments, these mothers could face a combined sentence of up to 14 years—7 years for abduction and 7 years for retention—despite acting in the best interests of their children. This is not reform; it is a punitive measure that endangers those it should protect.”
“We are witnessing a consistent pattern in which the UK disregards Hague decisions issued by foreign courts. When a foreign court refuses the return of a child on safety grounds, the UK’s immediate response is often to pursue criminal charges and issue Interpol Red Notices against the protective mother. By relying on the ‘without notice’ policy and the NCDN (‘Neither Confirm nor Deny’) policy, the UK effectively strips these mothers of any meaningful opportunity to appeal or challenge these unjust criminal proceedings. This approach not only undermines international child protection standards but also exposes vulnerable mothers and children to grave injustice.”

The Hague Treaty already failed domestic abuse victims by not properly addressing mothers fleeing to protect their children. Has the UK learned nothing? These amendments will exacerbate the injustice, ignoring reports and violating human rights.

Our Demand: Completely Reject the Amendments and Enact Protective Legislation
We demand the immediate and complete rejection of Clause 76 on the grounds that it will further harm children by criminalising protective mothers and enabling abusers to weaponise the law against survivors. Instead, introduce child-centred legislation to safeguard vulnerable families:

Protect Against Retaliatory Criminalisation: Once a Hague return order has been denied on safety grounds, UK child abduction laws must prohibit the use of criminal charges against the protective parent. No prosecutions can proceed without a full risk assessment confirming the child's safety.
Ban Without Notice Hearings: Abolish the use of without notice hearings in child abduction cases, ensuring all proceedings are transparent and allow protective mothers the right to be heard and represented from the outset.
Abolish the NCDN Policy: Eliminate the "Neither Confirm nor Deny" (NCDN) policy in child abduction matters, freeing mothers to challenge corrupt or unjust charges through open appeals and international scrutiny, preventing the UK from shielding abusive processes.
Listen to Survivors: Halt all male rights-driven policies that endanger children and survivors, replacing them with evidence-based protections informed by UN reports and expert panels.

Sign this petition today. Share it widely. Contact your MP to demand a debate and full rejection of these harmful changes. Together, we can stop this injustice and build a system that truly protects children and mothers from abuse.

Target: 100,000 signatures Created by: Hagued Mums For more information: Social Media @HaguedMums