A mother no longer has to be proven unfit to be stripped of her children. Most states, with provisions that the tender age of the children should be a consideration awarding custody to the mothers, have removed these. Nursing infants and very young children are taken away from perfectly fit mothers and given to the father who took little interest in the child rearing before the divorce was filed. Even though, it will be his mother, new wife/lover, nanny or a day care center who will be the one actually caring for the child. "Frequently men are told by their attorneys that if they have sole custody, joint or significant visitation, (the percentage of visitation being equal to the amount of child support required) they will pay no child support or very little. Instead their ex wives will often, with her 72 cents to the man's dollar, if they work, pick up the slack."(Beth Owen). Even women with no source of income for several years (homemakers) have been ordered to pay child support and jailed for inability to pay.

 

Many women don't have the money (thousands of dollars) to retain good competent attorneys. Legal Aid has had most of their funding cut and do nothing for women in the majority of cases unless they are very very poor. Men, who are normally the breadwinner, have money to hire a competent attorney. To further complicate matters, many men will receive free or low cost attorneys through Federally funded Fathers Rights groups. Excessive vexatious litigation is a common tactic utilized by Fathers Rights Attorneys.This will often run the  the legal fees for both parties up to astronomical amounts. Quite often the mother can no longer pay and her attorney withdraws leaving her to face final hearing without counsel. About 90% of the time, she loses everything.

 

According to a 1996 report by the American Psychological Association, custody and visitation disputes are more frequent when there is a history of domestic violence. Further, fathers who batter mothers are twice as likely to seek sole custody of their children and they may misuse the legal system as a forum for continuing abuse through harassing and retaliatory legal actions. (APA 1996, p. 40.) Quite often, the husband as a means of maintaining the control over his wife goes for custody. "It's effective because nothing in this world matters more to a woman than her child." (Beth Owen - National Coordinator for The Committee For Mother and Child Rights Inc.) "Studies show batterers are able to convince authorities that the victim is unfit or undeserving of sole custody in approximately 70% of challenged cases. " (American Judges Association). Many of these men are afflicted with  Narcissistic Personality Disorder. They are excellent liars and can appear as model citizens/parents. Especially while on the witness stand in a court of law. Judges often believe that these liars are model citizens and that the mother is mentally ill or just hysterical.

 

When a woman brings up sexual abuse allegations against her partner or ex partner, there is a 80% chance that she will lose custody of her children. In the majority of these cases she will end up ordered into some sort of couneling and supervised visits if any visitation of her children is granted at all.