Are "Good Enough" Parents Losing Custody to Abusive Ex-Partners?

By Stephanie Dallam -- updated 2008
for the Leadership Council on Child Abuse & Interpersonal Violence

INTRODUCTION

I.  RESEARCH

II. GENDER BIAS REPORTS

a. Official State Reports
b. Reports by Testimony Projects

III. REPORTS BY PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

IV.  SCHOLARLY COMMENTARIES

V.  MEDIA REPORTS

High conflict families are disproportionately represented among the population of those contesting custody and visitation. These cases commonly involve domestic violence, child abuse, and substance abuse. Research indicates that that custody litigation can become a vehicle whereby batterers and child abusers attempt to extend or maintain their control and authority over their victims after separation. Although, research has not found a higher incidence of false allegations of child abuse and domestic violence in the context of custody/visitation, officers of the court tend to be unreasonably suspicious of such claims and that too often custody decisions are based on bad science, misinterpretation of fact, and evaluator bias. As a result, many abused women and their children find themselves re-victimized by the justice system after separation.
Empirical research examining this issue is summarized below.
http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/1/pas/dv.html