Scared, alone & afraid, battered American mothers whose children are victims of child abuse in foreign countries contact us daily desperate to come back home to safety with their children. We can help them navigate their options as most are in a country that is part of the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction which means they would face civil charges of parental abduction when they flee home to safety, and, devastatingly, can be forced to return the children to the abuser abroad.
Battered American mothers trying to protect their children from abuse in foreign countries are desperate to return home to the USA. Countless obstacles lay in their way, but one obstacle is almost insurmountable. An international treaty signed in the 1980's, the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction, which was meant to protect children from abduction by the non-custodial parent, is now being used as a tool by abusers to maintain power and control over their victims abroad.
With this project, we will help battered American mothers abroad, or those who have already fled back to the USA, who will face, or are facing, civil parental abduction charges understand their options for the best possible outcome to be able to stay safely in the USA. In addition, this project will provide 20 initial legal consultations for 20 victims with an international family law attorney who can provide in-depth legal advice and guidance for the best possible outcome for these victims.
Over 9 million Americans live abroad. While no statistics exist as to how many of these Americans become victims of domestic violence, comparing to abuse statistics in the USA, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence estimates 3% of the US population experience domestic violence annually. Meaning over 200,000 Americans, plus their children, are abused abroad annually. When battered mothers receive the proper advocacy and legal advice, they can get their children to safety.
