UK: Mothers for justice: women say militant fathers are creating a climate of fear

UK: Mothers for justice: women say militant fathers are creating a climate of fear
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Mothers for justice: women say militant fathers are creating a climate of fear
By Maxine Frith, Social Affairs Correspondent

21 May 2004


They see themselves as modern-day suffragettes, engaging in high-profile peaceful protests to raise public awareness of their battle for equality with the opposite sex.

And in throwing a flour-filled condom at the Prime Minister, the Fathers4Justice campaign has once again propelled the issue of custody rights to the front pages and re-ignited the debate over how the courts deal with family break-ups.

Since the group was formed 18 months ago, it claims its ranks have now swollen to more than 6,000 men, driven to direct action by frustration with the family court system and desper- ation to see their children.

But lawyers, women's groups and even other fathers' rights organisations were offering a rather different perspective yesterday. They said Fathers4Justice was doing little to help its own cause and had created a climate of fear and intimidation around what is already a highly charged topic.

Solicitors representing women whose ex-partners are members of Fathers4Justice claim they have been sent abusive e-mails, had their offices vandalised and stormed by protesters and have even been targeted at home.

Women say that while their estranged partners can stage rooftop protests and make allegations about their circumstances, they as mothers cannot publicly counter the accusations because it will push their children into the public arena.

In an even more sinister development, scores of family law solicitors specialising in children's issues were sent hoax letter bombs last autumn. Similar hoaxes - made of marzipan with wires attached to it - were also sent to offices of the Child and Family Courts Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), which deals with custody issues.

Fathers4Justice has denied any involvement and says it only engages in non-violent protests.

Alain Williams, a member of the group, said: "We see ourselves as very similar to the suffragette movement and we use similar techniques to try to change the system.

"We feel we are like second-class citizens who do not have the same rights as women when it comes to the courts.

"They are encouraged to make false allegations against men in order to win custody and everyone believes them."

Mr Williams is a case in point of the acrimony and allegations which swirl around many cases of marital break-up in which children are involved.

He claims his former partner accused him of abusing his children, told neighbours that he was dangerous and refused to comply with access orders as they fought over custody rights.

"I get to see my kids now but it was an absolute nightmare," he says. "I know of solicitors who tell women to make up allegations of domestic violence in order to win custody. It is the legal system which is to blame here. The only winners in the current system are the lawyers."

Fathers4Justice has two other big hates - Cafcass and the Solicitors Family Law Association (SFLA). The group says Cafcass is chaotic, under-resourced and staffed by inexperienced workers who fail to take into account the rights of fathers to see their children.

It reserves particular vitriol for the SFLA, even dedicating an entire section of its website to the organisation and its members.

According to Fathers4Justice, "malicious and patently suspect allegations against fathers routinely emanate from the offices of SFLA members on behalf of their clients."

The group has routinely targeted the offices of lawyers who represent women in custody cases, and proudly promotes its protests on the website.

Earlier this year, the offices of the Parker Bird law firm in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, was daubed with graffiti saying "child thieves".

The premises were then stormed by 15 Fathers4Justice protesters who handed Karen Woodhead, the head of family law, a golden petrol can.

The group claims that the can represented the firm's "contribution in pouring petrol on the flames in divorce and childcare cases."

Parker Bird would not comment on the case but the SFLA say this is blatant intimidation.

Last summer, David Burrows, who was the SFLA's chair-man, was targeted at his home on a Sunday afternoon by Fathers4Justice protesters wearing chemical warfare suits and dark glasses. They leafleted his street warning neighbours that Mr Burrows "could pose a serious health hazard to your relationship with your children."

Kim Beatson, who now chairs the SFLA, said: "Fathers4Justice claim they are non-violent but I think they are becoming increasingly militant and we have heard of several other cases of solicitors receiving abusive e-mails, having their offices vandalised or their buildings stormed." She added: "We are totally committed to the idea of collaborative parenting for mothers and fathers and in the vast majority of cases that is what happens, without people ever having to go to court."

"I am also worried that the way Fathers4Justice portrays the court system may even put men off trying to get access to their children because it destroys all their hope."

Many lawyers and women's groups are now reluctant to speak out on the issue for fear of being targeted by the militant protesters.

One director of a woman's group said: "I think a lot of people would like to put the other side of the story but they are too scared to because they simply don't have the time or the energy to deal with being victimised by these groups.

"One mother said to me that she didn't have time to climb a crane and wave a banner as she was too busy being the primary carer to her children."

Observers are also concerned that more extreme groups may try to infiltrate and influence organisations such as Fathers4Justice.

The British National Party website contains an article urging its readers to support a Fathers4Justice march this August and claiming there is an "anti-male, feminist inspired bias against fathers following divorce".

There is no suggestion that Fathers4Justice is in any way linked to the BNP, but the fact that the party has latched on to the campaign may give cause for concern.

Even other fathers' groups are keen to distance themselves from the militancy of the group. Ian Mackay, of Families Need Fathers, said: "We don't condone or support their behaviour. I don't think it is very responsible and I am not sure it is really advancing their cause."

END