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