Too often, abuse victims are NOT given a fair shake when they try to leave or divorce their abuser. In fact, when victims try to leave to be free, the abuse often gets worse than they ever could have imagined. This more true when talking about divorce as the courts are then involved and you have to factor in things like support, marital debt and assests and more! The problem is: in a No-Fault Divorce, abuse doesn’t seem to matter. Victims are not protected; the only thing that matters is assets. It should NOT be this way. Sure, you can do a Fault-Divorce but why should a victim of abuse who has already had their life ripped from under them have to pay double just to be free? How is this justice? 

I start this petition from personal experience of witnessing my amazing mother, who has never broken a law, raised two amazing children, and is overall an amazing human being and lived a life of unreal abuse and trauma off and on for 28 years fall into this trap. In April of 2020, she finally got the courage to get free, to file for a divorce just to get her life, her mental health, and her happiness back, to not be held down by abuse. Now OVER $20,000 in a divorce for legal fees and no relief on marital debt, 3 lawyers later who is essentially told (in so many words) that her abuse and trauma doesn't matter, and left to feel as though the abuser CAN take everything from the victims STILL all the while, the abuser is the one who is getting heard, and defended, abusing systems, getting more than what he is entitled to while the victim gets nothing, not even a voice. No one should ever be told or made to feel like their abuse doesn't matter or that their past doesn't matter. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. Divorces should not be inflicting further trauma and abuse! Let’s fight for what’s RIGHT, not continue to be silent and defend what is WRONG!  

Since April 2020, the one one with a voice even though my mom filed is my "father's" while further abuse is inflicted by his side is allowed.

Divorce and lawyers should not be the source of further trauma or a traumatic experience especially when trying to break free of that trauma in the first place; and especially, when a victim hires someone in good faith for a service of defense and protection but ends up having no voice, only being drained dry. Victims NEED to be able to get the service they pay for.

So: We NEED to change the laws. Abuse NEEDS to matter in a no-fault divorce. TRAUMA needs to matter in a no-fault divorce. The legal system NEEDS to be AWARE of trauma. VICTIMS need PROTECTION and a voice, and no; it’s not as simple as filing a PFA. VICTIMS need their rights to be honored so they can heal. We NEED to stop protecting the perpetrators and abusers and letting them inflict further trauma and abuse during an already insanely hard time; it’s NOT okay! COURTS and the legal system are meant to PROTECT. So help me help other victims by signing this petition to put laws in place to not only make trauma and mental health a priority in ALL legal cases and to make them a part of a no-fault divorce, AND moreover, PROTECT VICTIMS! To GIVE VICTIMS THE RIGHTS THEY DESERVE WHICH IS ONLY WHAT THEY’RE ENTITLED TO, to give them THE RIGHT TO BREAK FREE AND HEAL!