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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Mediation after domestic abuse - evidence?

9 replies

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 08/01/2020 08:46

I know it's not good/helpful to have mediation or couples counselling after there has been coercive control.
I know this because I've heard other practitioners say it and from how I've seen it play out etc.

But does anyone know if there have been any studies or authoritative people eg Liz Kelly saying exactly why it doesn't work?

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NeverTwerkNaked · 08/01/2020 08:51

Following. Cafcass insisted I should go to family therapy with abusive ex. It was awful.

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 08/01/2020 09:41

I had mediation after an abusive relationship ended - to plan how contact with dd would work.

My ex pushed my buttons spectacularly. The mediator openly laughed at me because of how polite I was. We both had to sign something where I conceded things all over the place but it placed no expectations on my ex.

I am not a massive fan.

I think mediation can work eg if neighbours have a dispute.
Not where someone has been terrorized by the other party for years.

I had a Google and found 'child custody mediation in cases of domestic violence' by Nancy Johnson, Dennis saccuzo, Wendy koen

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SuperLoudPoppingAction · 08/01/2020 09:44

Maybe it's evidence in itself that experience of domestic abuse means people don't have to go to a miam meeting with a mediator?

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Michelleoftheresistance · 08/01/2020 10:18

Have you taken a look at the Women's Aid website and seen if they have resources or evidence there? They often have statistics to hand. As far as I was aware, mediation is as standard generally not advised if one partner has been abusive to avoid simply using mediation to further the abuse, and have known at least one case where the agency has simply signed it straight off to go to court instead, so this must be based on something concrete.

Michelleoftheresistance · 08/01/2020 10:20

(If it helps, in that case I mention there was no police involvement or charges, but the woman was in a refuge at the time of partner seeking contact with the children through court, so whether that equalled automatic evidence...?)

RochelleGoyle · 08/01/2020 12:13

You could also consult the resources provided by Safe Lives (used to be CAADA - founded the MARAC protocol).
www.safelives.org.uk/policy-evidence/policy-and-research-library

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 08/01/2020 12:21

Refuge for over 24 hours is one of the criteria not to have to have a miam.
But I was surprised that receiving support from women's aid isn't seen as enough.

My case never went to marac as I didn't ask for support until after.
So I would not be exempt.

Evidence from a GP apparently counts too. Which is the only slightly less arduous thing to evidence.

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SuperLoudPoppingAction · 08/01/2020 12:24

I will have a browse on safe lives, women's aid and cwasu websites.

Thanks all.

I think it can be a real strength of the women's sector that when we know something doesn't work, we say so emphatically.
But I feel we sometimes don't always share our working- evidence of studies, sample sizes etc.

And working with people outside of our bubble, they often do ask.

There can be strong cultural or religious preference for mediation so I'm hoping to be able to counteract that robustly.

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Chocolatemice · 08/01/2020 13:01

I lived in a refuge. No MARAC but as I was being abused I was advised not to use mediation as it does not work well for the survivor. Court accepted it was not suitable.

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