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Closed Make divorces where a child is abused automatically eligible for legal aid

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Someone who can prove they have suffered domestic abuse is able to access legal aid for divorce, but if the abuse was suffered by a child within the family, even if there are convictions, they have no automatic access to legal aid for divorce. We believe this needs to change!

We believe in the event of a conviction of child sexual abuse in the family home, the other parent of the child may have to pick up the pieces and has no automatic access to legal aid for the divorce. After major trauma within the family and financial hardship that breakups can bring, one parent may be left legally tied to the predator that committed crimes against their child as they may be unable to afford the divorce. It can be truly traumatic.

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    This petition will stay open until 30 April 2026.