The Court Said is a worldwide campaign dedicated to advocating for "survivor family justice." The campaign's core mission is to transform the family court system's handling of domestic abuse cases, ensuring the safety and well-being of survivors and their children. This movement was founded by Natalie Page, whose personal experience navigating the family court system for nine years after leaving an abusive relationship served as the catalyst.
Page initially believed her struggles were unique, a result of her own failings. However, through her own research and reaching out to other women, she discovered that her traumatic experience was not an isolated incident but a widespread, systemic issue. This realization—that the court system itself was often hostile, disbelieving, and victim-blaming—led her to create #thecourtsaid. The campaign's name itself is a defiant echo of the frequent, and often harmful, court decisions that survivors feel define their experience.
Interview with Natalie Page from #TheCourtSaid- #AbuseTalk Interviews with Jennifer Gilmour
The campaign's philosophy is rooted in the idea that the justice system, which is meant to protect, is instead inflicting further trauma on vulnerable families. Natalie Page's work, which earned her the Centre for Women's Justice and Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize in 2021, focuses on the often-overlooked rights and needs of abused mothers and children. She also founded the non-profit Survivor Family Network to provide direct support, including courses and guidance, to survivor families working towards safer outcomes.
Key Issues and Failings of the Family Court System
#thecourtsaid highlights several critical issues that it campaigns to reform:
- Culture of Disbelief: The campaign consistently points out that survivors' accounts of abuse are often met with skepticism by judges and other court professionals. Even with substantial evidence, such as police reports or financial records, victims feel their testimony is not taken seriously. Natalie Page notes that the burden of proof for domestic abuse in family court often feels higher than the standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt" used in criminal courts.
- The "Pro-Contact" Culture: The family court system's legal presumption of parental involvement often leads to a "contact at all costs" approach. This can force children into unsafe and unsupervised contact with an abusive parent, which can lead to continued post-separation abuse and further trauma. The campaign argues that the court's paramount consideration—the welfare of the child—is frequently overshadowed by this culture.
- Misuse of "Parental Alienation": A major focus of the campaign is the dangerous weaponization of "parental alienation" accusations. Perpetrators of abuse frequently use this pseudo-scientific concept as a counter-claim to a survivor's allegations of domestic abuse. The campaign points out that these false accusations can lead to the non-abusive parent losing custody of their children, who are then placed in the care of their abuser. It also highlights the use of unregulated and unqualified "expert witnesses" who use this theory to misinform the court.
- Lack of Transparency and Accountability: Family court proceedings are largely private, and this secrecy makes it impossible to fully understand the decisions being made or hold the system accountable for its failings. The campaign has long called for increased transparency and the creation of a "Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism" to collect reliable data. This data is essential for exposing systemic issues and driving evidence-based reforms.
Activism, Events, and Advocacy
The campaign is not just a digital movement; it's a powerful force for direct action and policy change. Key events and initiatives include:
- The Parliament Square Protest: A significant event was "The Court Said" protest in London, which brought together hundreds of people and multiple organizations to demand reform. The event aimed to show how abusers exploit the family court system to perpetuate harm. A poignant part of the protest involved a display of shoes, with each pair symbolizing a life lost to domestic abuse.
- Collaboration and Media Campaigns: #thecourtsaid works with a wide range of organizations, including Women's Aid, and has contributed to important documents like the "Harm Panel" report, which exposed serious problems within the family courts. The campaign's work has been featured in major media outlets like the BBC and Channel 4, including the documentary Torn Apart: Family Courts Uncovered, which gave the public an unprecedented look into the court's operations.
- Education and Support: Through the Survivor Family Network, the campaign offers resources like the "Court Confidence Course," which is specifically designed to equip domestic abuse survivors with the knowledge and awareness needed to navigate the notoriously difficult court system. This course addresses the unique challenges of child arrangement cases and aims to help survivors protect their position and achieve safer outcomes.
