‘Children are often the forgotten victims of abuse’

THE safety of children and abuse survivors is at risk in the Family Courts, Victims Commissioner Claire Waxman warned today.

Urgent changes need to be made to strengthen the Domestic Abuse Bill to protect them, she said.

Ms Waxman has joined forces with lawyers, domestic-abuse charities and children’s charity Barnardo’s, and has won cross-party support in the Lords where it enters the Committee Stage today.

The Victims Commissioner for London is fighting for an end to the “pro-contact culture” within the courts as children are being placed with abusive parents against their wishes.

She said: “The Family Courts system is letting down children and survivors of abuse. I am deeply worried by the severe lack of understanding of domestic abuse and trauma in the courts, and the fact that courts persist in prioritising contact between a parent and child – even when there are cases of domestic and sexual abuse. Survivors and children are being put at risk due to this pro-contact culture.”

The Bill failed to protect children from the impact of domestic abuse and must be amended to remove the presumption of contact, she added.

Charlotte Proudman, a family law barrister, said: “In the vast majority of my private law children cases, the children’s voices are undermined and not heard by the court.”

Barnardo’s chief executive Javed Khan said: “Children are often the forgotten victims of domestic abuse.

“As it stands the Bill risks creating a two-tier system – with adults and children living in refuges having access to specialist services, but the majority of victims who remain in the family home falling through the cracks.

“I’m urging the Lords to support a cross-party amendment which creates a clear duty on public authorities to provide support for all victims, regardless of their age or where they live.”