Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Family Court: Harassment of Domestic Abuse Victims

Tuesday 19 May 2026 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Department is implementing measures to prevent domestic abuse perpetrators from harassing victims in family court proceedings.
  • Legal aid is available in child-focused courts for victims of domestic violence or those at risk of abuse, though access can be delayed.
  • Rural households face unique challenges in reporting domestic abuse due to multigenerational living and geographic isolation.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Richard Quigley Lab Isle of Wight West
Crime & Law Enforcement Children & Families
Context

The MP is concerned about people convicted of domestic abuse misusing the family courts to harass their victims.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to help prevent people convicted of domestic abuse from using family court proceedings to harass their victims?

Answer from Catherine Atkinson

Perpetrators must not be allowed to use the family courts to further their abuse. While the family courts already have a range of tools designed to protect victims, we are going further by rolling out the child-focused courts model nationally.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific steps or timeline for implementation of additional measures beyond existing tools and national rollout plan.

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Q2 Richard Quigley Lab Isle of Wight West
Justice & Courts Children & Families
Context

The MP is concerned about the accessibility of legal aid for victims of domestic abuse, particularly at decision hearings, as it has become nearly impossible to access it in practice.

Question

While I welcome the steps the Department has already taken to prevent perpetrators of domestic abuse from using the family courts to continue coercive control, will the Minister look to ensure that legal aid is accessible to victims in pathfinder courts, particularly at decision hearings?

Answer from Catherine Atkinson

I thank my hon. Friend for again speaking up on behalf of domestic abuse victims. Legal aid is available in child-focused courts for victims of domestic violence or those at risk of abuse, but we are aware that there are challenges affecting timely access.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to ensuring legal aid accessibility specifically at decision hearings and did not provide a timeline for resolving access issues.

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Q3 Rachel Gilmour Lib Dem Tiverton and Minehead
Crime & Law Enforcement Agriculture & Rural Affairs Children & Families
Context

The MP is concerned about the specific challenges of domestic abuse in rural areas, including financial control and exclusion from business decisions.

Question

About one in 20 rural households experience some form of domestic abuse, although experts believe that this figure is significantly understated owing to chronic under-reporting. The pressures of multigenerational living, the unique stresses of farming life and the combination of geographic and digital isolation can all heighten vulnerability. Will the Minister set out what specific steps the Government are taking to address those rural risk factors?

Answer from Catherine Atkinson

I thank the hon. Member for raising this important issue. Alongside the roll-out of child-focused courts, more work needs to be done to look at coercive control.

Not addressed: Did not provide specific steps or initiatives addressing rural domestic abuse risk factors beyond acknowledging the importance of the issue.

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