A 60-yr-old act of parliament says what happens in family courts must be kept secret.
Dispatches goes as far as the law will allow, to find out if family courts are letting victims of domestic abuse down. 1/
Torn Apart: Family Courts Uncovered, Tonight at 10pm on @Channel4
Dispatches goes as far as the law will allow, to find out if family courts are letting victims of domestic abuse down. 1/
Torn Apart: Family Courts Uncovered, Tonight at 10pm on @Channel4
@Channel4 In January ‘21 there was a real chance to report more openly. 4 cases have been brought to the court of appeal. In these cases all 4 women had asked the family courts to take into account domestic abuse, but the judges had dismissed their claims. They want their cases reheard. 2
@Channel4 “It was also said that she couldn't possibly have been raped and that she was no shrinking violet.”
Because the Court of Appeal is held publicly, one of the Barristers leading the appeal, @DrProudman is able to speak publicly about what was said in court. 3/
Because the Court of Appeal is held publicly, one of the Barristers leading the appeal, @DrProudman is able to speak publicly about what was said in court. 3/
@Channel4 @DrProudman A Ministry of Justice report, which came out last year, castigated the family justice system for its treatment of domestic abuse victims, saying it is too difficult to prove abuse; and that judges often order contact even when they accept abuse has taken place. 4/
@Channel4 @DrProudman There is chronic underfunding of family justice. The system is overrun and overstretched. But by default, it is a criminal offence to report what has happened in court. So if no-one can ever know the specifics of the problems, they can’t be fixed. 5/
@Channel4 @DrProudman We approached the Ministry of Justice about the issues raised in the film and they said: 
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