This new report provides up to date information about the impact of the family courts, specifically the use of mediation, on women in the UK. 

We know the difficulties, trauma and discrimination that survivors of violence against women and girls (VAWG) face within the family courts system. This report explores how the current mediation process in the family courts is working for these women and how the new proposed changes to the family courts, namely the introduction of compulsory mediation, would further impact them. 

The report found that the current demand for evidence to circumvent mediation does not work for women, as many women will not have reported their abuse due to fear or inability to provide the right 'evidence' of non-physical abuse such as coercive control. Instead, the evidence threshold should be reduced so that verbal allegations of domestic violence alone is sufficient to circumvent mediation. 

If the Government goes ahead with the proposed reforms and introduces compulsory mediation (with the current exemptions as they stand), then there is substantial risk of worsening abuse for women, as well as undermining the safety of child contact arrangements and the risk of increasing coercive control. 

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READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR FAMILY COURTS CAMPAIGN HERE