"Angel," in her 40s, a first-time mother, with a heart full of dreams, thought she’d found joy—until her partner’s physical and sexual abuse began early in her pregnancy, worsening after her daughter’s birth, his jealousy poisoning their bond. One night, after she ended the relationship he brutally attacked her resulting in his arrest, but when the CPS lost the evidence at court, he walked free, leaving her defenceless. Post-separation abuse took hold—he turned the family courts against her. When her daughter came back from unsupervised visits showing signs of abuse, Angel begged for help, but the judges, won over by his charm, wouldn’t listen; they ordered her child to live with him. Left with no choice, she fled, holding her daughter tight, running from a system that failed them.

He came after them, using the Hague Convention; which she fought and won twice, but then he got INTERPOL involved, blocking their passports and trapping them abroad. For ten long years, the abuse and court battles dragged on—over 50 hearings, £150,000 ($195,000) gone, family ties cut off forever. Every step was a struggle to keep her daughter safe, until, after a decade, she won sole custody—court findings finally confirmed her daughter’s sexual abuse. But the cost was unbearable: ten years of post-separation abuse had torn their lives apart, a mother and child left with scars no victory could heal. If clear international laws had protected mothers fleeing such relentless abuse, Angel and her daughter wouldn’t have endured this decade of heartbreak.

Hagued Mums, a grassroots organisation founded in 2019 by mothers like Angel who’ve fled across international borders to protect their kids, fight for change. Thousands face this, in the United States (1 in 4 women face severe abuse, 1 in 9 girls sexually abused, 60% post-separation abuse, 70% court failures—900+ kids harmed or killed since 2008), United Kingdom (18% of girls suffer sexual abuse, 50% post-separation abuse, 80% court failures—40 kids dead since 2010), France (146 women killed yearly, 22% of girls abused, 40% post-separation abuse, 60% court failures—35 kids dead since 2015), Australia (11% childhood sexual abuse, 70% post-separation abuse, 80% court dismissals—50+ kids killed since 2000), New Zealand (1 in 3 women abused, 55% post-separation abuse, 75% court failures—20 kids killed since 2010), Denmark (30,000 women abused yearly, 45% post-separation abuse, 65% court neglect—15 kids dead since 2012), and Belgium (1 in 7 women abused, 50% post-separation abuse, 70% court dismissals—25 kids killed since 2010). Convictions rarely exceed 25%.

The Hague’s vague Article 13(b) defences are rarely met forcing mothers to return with their children to dangerous situations or to hand over their precious babies to the men they know harmed them, and asylum rejects 60-80% of claims, with a higher rejection rate of over 98% of mothers who fled to protect their kids. Hagued Mums is demanding that the UN acts to create fast-track asylum processes for mothers fleeing domestic abuse across borders with their children.

Protect these families. Sign now—every signature saves mothers and children from abuse and broken courts.

Call to Action:
Sign and share this petition. Let’s show the UN our mothers demand justice with Hagued Mums.