BUSE USING COERCION AND THREATS Making and/or carrying out threats to do jail her for non - compliance • coerce her with gag order• promise a trial, then coerce her into verbal agreement • • threaten if she doesn't settle,she'll get a worse deal. Court prep and trial prevents her from getting or keeping a job• court e x hausts all her savings, retirement, kids college funds • she has to pay USING INTIMIDATION Making her afraid by using looks, actions, gestures by the court professionals and court bailiff • u sing legalese to confuse women • f earmongering to threaten loss of custody. USING EMOTIONAL ABUSE D iscrediting - her• making her feel bad about herself• mind games• making her think she's crazy for anything the court orders : forensic evaluation, supervised visits, AF C, GAL , parenting app, parenting coordinator. POWER AND CONTROL • rewriting history• humiliating her • making her feel like a bad mother. USING ISOLATION USING MALE PRIVILEGE Court protects father's reputation, job and his income• court favors and believes father more than mother• bias towards the father • energy in court of coverture with women and children being men's property and charge. USING CHILDREN A ssign children AF C or GAL to control narrative • not allowing children to testify • assign her supervised visits • threatening to take the children away. Controlling who she sees and talks to • g ag orders • sealing courtrooms• limiting her support • attorney - only conferences• she cannot speak MINIMIZING, DENYING to the court directly if she has a lawyer. AND BLAMING Making light of the abuse and not taking her concerns about it seriously• victim blame• DARVO • shift focus onto her mental health • a ccuse her of parental alienation • accuse her of having undiagnosed personality disorder C hat I n T he C ommons P odcast c hatinthe c ommons. c om F AMILY COURT - INSTITUTIONAL ABUSE