This isn't just our experience.
It's documented.
Peer-reviewed research and U.S. government data confirm the pattern survivors describe: abuse is minimized, "parental alienation" is weaponized, and children are placed in danger. Every claim on this page is sourced.
What the research shows
Three of the most-cited bodies of evidence on domestic violence and custody outcomes.
Reporting abuse can cost you custody — Meier et al. (2019)
The largest empirical study of U.S. custody cases (George Washington University Law School, NIJ-funded) reviewed published cases from 2005–2014. It found that when mothers alleged abuse, courts often disbelieved them, and when fathers responded with a claim of "parental alienation," mothers were roughly twice as likely to lose custody. When courts credited an alienation claim, mothers reporting abuse lost custody in a large majority of cases. Read the study
Many evaluators lack domestic-violence training — Saunders et al. (2012, U.S. DOJ / NIJ)
This federal study found that custody evaluators, judges, and many court professionals frequently lack specific domestic-violence training, especially in screening, post-separation violence, and assessing danger. On average, evaluators in the study believed about 26% of mothers' abuse allegations were false, far higher than research supports, fueling unsafe decisions. Read the report
Children are dying — Center for Judicial Excellence
CJE has tracked 900+ children murdered since 2008 by a divorcing, separating, or court-involved parent, many in cases where courts had warnings and prioritized "shared parenting" over safety. The Leadership Council estimates tens of thousands of children are ordered into unsupervised contact with a dangerous parent each year. See the data
The pattern survivors describe
Independently documented across studies, advocacy reports, and court records.
- Abuse reframed as "high conflict" — coercive control gets recast as a mutual dispute, erasing the victim/perpetrator dynamic.
- "Parental alienation" used as a shield — an unregulated theory often deployed to discredit a protective parent who reports abuse.
- Children's disclosures dismissed as "coaching" — kids' own fears are written out of the analysis.
- Reunification camps — some courts have ordered children into programs that strip contact with the safe parent. Reforms now restrict these.
- The 50-50 default — shared custody treated as inherently "fair," even when documented danger makes it unsafe.
Names we don't forget
Public, documented cases that drove real legislative reform. We honor them and fight so the list stops growing.
Kayden Mancuso
A 7-year-old in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, killed by her father in 2018 during a court-ordered unsupervised visit, despite a documented history of violence. Her case led to Kayden's Law in Pennsylvania and the federal Keeping Children Safe From Family Violence Act in VAWA 2022.
Piqui (Aramazd Andressian Jr.)
A 5-year-old in California killed by his father in 2017 amid a custody dispute after the mother warned of danger. His case inspired Piqui's Law, restricting unsafe reunification practices and requiring judicial training.
Reform is already happening
The Keeping Children Safe From Family Violence Act ("Kayden's Law") passed in VAWA 2022, offering states federal incentives to: require domestic-violence and child-abuse training for court professionals, limit dangerous reunification programs, and give real weight to abuse evidence. States moving to adopt its provisions include Colorado, California (Piqui's Law), Pennsylvania, Maryland, Tennessee, and Utah (Om's Law), with more in progress.
Sources
Meier, J. et al. (2019). Child Custody Outcomes in Cases Involving Parental Alienation and Abuse Allegations. GWU Law. SSRN
Saunders, D. et al. (2012). Child Custody Evaluators' Beliefs About Domestic Abuse Allegations. U.S. DOJ / NIJ #238891. NIJ report
Center for Judicial Excellence. U.S. Child Murder Data & Child Safety First report. centerforjudicialexcellence.org
Keeping Children Safe From Family Violence Act ("Kayden's Law"), VAWA 2022. congress.gov