Why aren’t family courts safe places for domestic abuse survivors?
The family courts have not been places where victims and survivors of domestic abuse have felt safe, but VOICES is working to help change this, as our CEO explains.
Why aren’t family courts safe places for domestic abuse survivors?
The family courts have not been places where victims and survivors of domestic abuse have felt safe, but VOICES is working to help change this, as our CEO explains.
Why has VOICES spent years working to provide a safe space and support to enable people to feel they have a voice through Family Court processes?
Many victims of domestic abuse feel the lack of safety to speak out when involved in Family Court processes as a loss of voice, and of choice. The lack of safe settings to speak about their experience of the Family Courts can mean that victims and survivors feel the only options are silence or social media engagement, which has specific risks attached. This can be a time when specialist support and a safe space to disclose and get help with family law problems is needed most, yet there may be little opportunity to feel emotionally safe to do so.
Feeling emotionally safe to talk is important because when things go wrong in terms of legal representation, the impacts can be huge, including upon children. VOICES works to provide a safe space for dealing with risks and fears, getting specialist help, and navigating the Family Court system safely and with support. We are working with SafeLives and the Legal Education Foundation to make our Family Law processes safer spaces for victims of domestic abuse.
This service has saved my mental health and has provided a safe service whilst helping with coping mechanisms for the future.
- Lena
Latest news
VOICES Spring break
Voices will be closed in the first week of the school holidays, from 11th – 17th April 2022. We will reopen on 18th April 2022 but there will be no groups running during the second week of the holidays.
Family Justice report launched at the Old Bailey
A report on domestic abuse survivors’ experiences of family lawyers and the need for trauma expertise in the family justice system, produced by SafeLives and based on survivor consultation work by VOICES was launched at the Old Bailey on 30 March 2022.
