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October 20, 2022
Parents not turning other cheek to family court abuse
Peter Verschaffelt
Posted On October 20, 2022
Download AudioA group for parents who feel they were treated badly by the family court have launched a nationwide billboard campaign calling for change.
Spokesperson Jody Hopkinson says Humans of Family Court Aotearoa has also created a website where people can anonymously share their experiences of the court, and it conducted a survey which found in 80 percent of cases that was negative.
She says they want training for judges on family violence and the latest case law, rather than the current lottery where parents don’t know whether they will get a judge who understands the law or one who punishes them for questioning their authority.
“Judges will belittle a safe parent who brings up evidence of abuse and we know that, say in a criminal court if a protection order is put out, the abusive partner can’t be in contact with the other partner. In the family court you’re actually told to turn the other cheek, get over it, get on, you’ve got to work together,” Ms Hopkinson says.
She says Maori parents say the court only plays lip service to Maori and the treaty on issues like holding family group conferences.
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