Reply #175: Well, now...

[chervilant]

Consider situations where the abused partner successfully leaves the abuser: if the abuser has inordinate power (this guy is a JUDGE, for goodness' sake!), the abused partner is unlikely to have the necessary resources to gain custody of the children.

I advocated for a mother of three who HAD to escape her abuser or die. She fought a long and costly battle to gain custody of her children, only to lose even visitation. Why? Because her abusive husband had strong political and economic ties in their insular community. He pulled strings, and successfully deprived her of all her parental rights. At the time I met her, she had not seen or held her children in months.

If you want to express outrage, be outraged that our society STILL does not acknowledge that CHILDREN in abusive households are just as much victims of the abuse, even if they are NEVER physically abused by the abuser!

(Furthermore, it is WAY past time that abusers be held solely responsible for their behavior.)