| Abusing women is becoming an epidemic in | | | | According to the findings of BMTP, |
| the current world. Witnessing a physical | | | | courts have violated human rights. They |
| assault on their mother and growing in | | | | have allowed the batterers to continue |
| such an environment can have a | | | | with their abuse through court system. |
| devastating impact on the growing minds | | | | During the court proceedings, mothers |
| of children. According to a research | | | | are treated with disrespect by the |
| conducted by American Judges | | | | investigators. They are harassed |
| Association, 75 percent of child custody | | | | emotionally and financially. |
| cases that go through intense battle | | | | According to a gender based study |
| between the parents involve history of | | | | conducted by Massachusetts Supreme |
| domestic abuse. And interestingly, the | | | | Judicial Court Gender Bias Task Force, |
| men who perpetrate domestic violence on | | | | many judges, investigators and family |
| the mothers often contest for the | | | | service officers usually ignore physical |
| custody of the child. But, there is a | | | | abuse of women while determining this |
| sharp contrast in the decisions taken by | | | | and visitation. Even if any woman |
| different courts with respect to | | | | accuses her husband of physical abuse, |
| battered mothers and child custody. | | | | it is considered as an act of revenge. |
| According to a research report published | | | | Surprisingly, during many of these |
| by Battered Mothers Testimony Project | | | | trials, the batterers have been awarded |
| (BMTP) in 2002, courts are biased | | | | with either joint custody or sole |
| towards battered mothers. Courts have | | | | custody of the child. According to this |
| been inefficient in protecting battered | | | | report, in almost 94 percent of the |
| mothers and children from physical | | | | cases involving battered mothers and |
| abuse. Often, fathers or batterers are | | | | child custody, the fathers have received |
| preferred more than the battered mothers | | | | sole or joint child custody. |
| in awarding the custody of the child. | | | | |