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Facts and Research |
Law H.R. 4472 at the Library of Congress
we need to PROTECT our Children
Lawyer Help & Referral
Research
Statistics
Preliminary data from the
national Protective Parents Survey indicate that
children in custody
disputes are
endangered.
* 90% of mothers had custody at
the beginning of the family court process.
* 87% were domestic violence victims.
* An average of $74,000 was spent by each non-violent mother to protect
their
children from reported sexual (76%) and/or physical abuse (67%).
* Over three-quarters of the mother lost custody and half received
supervised
visits or no contact with
their children.
* 75% of the children continue to report abuse after custody was changed
to
the identified perpetrators.
Stahly et al, 2003
This recent study echoes the results of
a 1998 survey of 13 California Counties:
* 91% of fathers accused of
sex abuse by their children received custody.
* 54% of non-violent mothers received supervised visitation or were
denied all
contact with their children.
* 38% of the children were reported to have medical evidence of abuse.
* 32% of the children received Victims of Crime funding from the State of
California
for therapy due to the crimes against them.
Mothers of Lost
Children, 1998
www.mothers-of-lost-children.com
Over a decade ago, a survey of shelter
staff in California found that
unsupervised visitation was granted
to the father in 12,401 cases where physical
violence had been alleged.
Shelter staff
reported knowing of 3,881 battered women forced into hiding by
Court
Orders they felt
endangered their children's (and their own) safety.
Stahly et al, 2003
*
Preschool children who witness violence
may suffer from night-mares or other
sleep disturbances, regression, and fears.
(Gelles & Straus)
* The after-effects of
violence may include PTSD, depression, anxiety, nightmares,
flashbacks,
hyper arousal, avoidance, panic, substance abuse, revictimization
eating
disorders, and multiple medical disabilities.
(Kilpatrick & Acierno; Felitti, MD)
* Police forces
report that 95% of victims of family violence are women and children,
and
30% of all women will suffer some form of violence in adult relationships.
(Jaffee, et al)
Lawyer Help & Referral
Custody
and Mediation Facts Sheet
Massachusetts
Battered Mothers Testimony Project
Arizona's Battered
Mothers Testimony Project
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