Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE

Monday 15^th October 2018 00:01

Analysis: Huge Increases in the Use of Non-Molestation Orders since Scrapping of Legal Aid (LASPO)

Thousands misuse abuse orders to get Legal Aid
37% increase in 5 years since LASPO

Chances of being hit with a Non-Molestation Order depends on where you live

Children are denied good parents by bad court orders

The system needs new checks and balances
 to avoid abuse of innocent parties and children

The will of Parliament on bail conditions is being bypassed

FNF call on Family Courts and police to complete investigations
within three months and to deal firmly with bogus claims of violence

Families Need Fathers (FNF) is a national, UK shared parenting charity concerned with the welfare of children in the context of family separation. Changes in legislation over the last six years, designed to save money or protect people who have been subject to abuse have also had unintended consequences – ‘collateral damage’ harming or destroying healthy child-parent relationships and fuelling parental conflict.

Families Need Fathers has completed a review of trends in Non-Molestation Orders (NMOs or Non-Mols) usage. NMOs are injunctive Civil orders designed to protect anyone who has been abused from further abuse. Over 26,000 such orders are now issued annually. Following a period of decline in their use, there was a significant, immediate jump in their numbers following changes legislation in 2013 that scrapped Legal Aid in private family proceedings unless domestic violence is claimed (as opposed to shown) to have been involved. A further spike in their use has occurred since 2017 when legislation changes to increase scrutiny on the police when they wish to extend police bail without charges led to this back door approach being exploited to get around the scrutiny.

Since these legislative changes came into force NMOs have increased by 7,249 cases a year, an increase of 37%.

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