The Broken System

Family Court is a system and its only job is to protect the system.

The mandate from the top down is to reduce court wait times, reduce costs. Their solution: have couples enter into mediation or another form of ADR to ‘fix’ this problem. However, as a Mediator, I know you cannot mediate with a coercive controller. I’ve had law professors tell me a case of domestic abuse should never go to mediation - and yet, this is the course lawyers - including the one I retained for awhile - are recommending to their clients.

But the people who are most vulnerable are the ones being harmed by this system.

When I was seeking a separation agreement, I was told Legal Aid was not available for cases of abuse. I contacted the Calgary Legal Guidance center and was told they couldn’t help me because I didn’t have minor children. They told me I’d have to hire a lawyer. I told them my abuser had all the money and I didn’t have enough to retain a lawyer. They said they were sorry, they couldn’t help.

If I were to commit a crime, I would be given free legal help. But because I was abused, there are no resources available?

How did it become acceptable for the victim of abuse to be treated worse than a criminal?

Because the system protects the system - not the people it is supposed to represent.