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