Needs assessment and gap analysis for abused women unrepresented in the family law system

Partner abuse does not end just because a woman leaves her abusive partner. An abusive man frequently continues or even escalates his abuse at the point of separation and for some time after. Abused women involved with family law must deal with a complicated legal process while also dealing with their abuser's attempts to harass, control and intimidate them, using the court process itself as an instrument of control. Woman abuse survivors and their children are severely disadvantaged when they do not have adequate legal representation, especially in the current climate that emphasizes mediation and shared parenting. Women who are unrepresented must complete complex paperwork and negotiations without a foundation of legal knowledge, often in the presence of the abuser and while dealing with fear, change and transition for themselves and their children. The outcomes obtained by an abused woman in the family law process have a serious impact on her ongoing health, well-being and safety and that of her children.