Written evidence submitted by Anonymous (DVA0124)

I have been a victim of domestic abuse for over [number] years. 

My [age] year old [child] is also a victim and although after [number] years there is no direct contact there is indirect contact by letter. 

When the perpetrator hand delivers anything the police can't do a thing. Tell me how the system can allow abuse to continue because of its failings. 

Children and  families are being abused by these repeat offenders because the courts put the parents right to access above the child's right to live without fear. 

The police will only do something if there is physical violence or evidence of mental abuse ie on a phone by text or message. 

I have given up calling the police as they can be unsympathetic and it results in a report to social services causing more stress and worry to the child and family. 

Cafcass have been good in my instance however they are limited and reports can take too long. 

Legal aid is a farce. I cannot get any financial help as I have equity in my house which i cannot access. I am struggling to pay a huge mortgage and all my credit cards are maxed out. 

I cannot get an injunction because the person has to be warned their actions are unwanted. The dust settles for a while. Over time these letters become too far apart to be used requiring new ones to be issued.  These people know just how to play the system to continue their abuse without crossing a legal line to be caught. 

I have had to have my [child] counselled to want to see [their] father under court order, something so wrong from a counselling point of view and yet the father has twice been rejected from a domestic violence perpetrator programme because they said he did not have any wish to change his behaviour. 

I don't have the answer to make the law right to protect anybody from abuse. 

There needs to be more coordination between the courts, court orders, caffcass and the police. 

I would be happy to describe my [number] years in the domestic violence system further. I do not look forward to the next [number].  When then my [child] is an adult and hopefully will forgive a system that continues to allow [them] to be abused.  Thank you for your time and realising the issue needs addressing. 

July 2018