In July 2020, National Legal Service were instructed to help Susan* (*not her real name), a Mother who had struggled in an abusive relationship only to find the abuse continued after the relationship ended. Her ex-partner continued to intimidate her, arriving at her home multiple times attempting to kick down her door and threatening to take their child away.
Susan was introduced to National Legal Service via an urgent referral received from the National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV).
Susan had been in the abusive relationship for nearly two years by this time and she shared parental responsibility with her ex-partner, in respect of their small child.
Throughout the relationship Susan was abused physically, emotionally, and sexually. She was pinned to her bed by her throat, pushed over whilst pregnant, pinned to doors in the presence of their child, scared for her life and that of her child’s. Susan had contacted the police to report the ongoing and historic abuse and her ex-partner was placed on bail conditions not to contact her for six weeks.
Following the expiration of the bail conditions, Susan’s ex-partner attempted to kick down her door and threatened that, “things would start happening now”. He had made multiple threats to remove their child from the care and control of Susan. Although Susan was now out of the relationship, she was still dealing with the endless amounts of abuse.
The team at National Legal Service applied for and secured a Non-Molestation Order for Susan’s protection and thereafter a Prohibited Steps Order to prevent her ex-partner from removing their child from Susan’s care. Following those orders, a Child Arrangements order defined that the child shall live with Susan in the long term. The team also successfully applied to court prior to the expiry of the Non-Molestation Order to have it extended by a further 6 months to ensure Susan remained protected for a further period.
Susan is now able to live her life without fear of abuse from her ex-partner and move on from the trauma she has endured with the protection of court orders secured on her behalf.
