Family courts were designed to protect families. So why do so many survivors find themselves trapped by the very system that was supposed to protect them?

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Charlotte Proudman, a family law barrister and founder of Right to Equality. Charlotte has spent her career challenging the failures of the family court system, especially when it comes to cases involving domestic abuse, sexual coercion, coercive control, and parental alienation. We talk openly about the real impact these failures have on women and children, and why change is so urgently needed.

Why is coercive control still overlooked in custody cases? How did parental alienation turn into a legal weapon used by abusive parents? Charlotte shares powerful stories from her new book, “He Said, She Said,” and explains how family courts continue to mishandle allegations of sexual abuse and emotional violence.

This conversation pulls back the curtain on a system that too often silences the very people it should protect. Charlotte and I talk about what needs to happen for family courts to finally center the voices of survivors, and how we can push for the trauma-informed change that families deserve.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

02:22 Family Courts and Gender Equality

03:44 Systemic Failures in Addressing Domestic Abuse

08:07 Sexual Coercion and Coercive Control

16:07 Parental Alienation as a Legal Strategy

34:07 Mishandling of Child Sexual Abuse Allegations

40:04 Purpose of “He Said, She Said”

Links

Connect with Dr. Charlotte Proudman:

@drproudman on Instagram, X, and TikTok; https://www.charlotteproudman.com/team-4-1 

(upcoming events for He Said She Said); https://www.amazon.co.uk/He-Said-She-Struggle-Justice/dp/1399612441Pre-order “He Said, She Said: Truth, Trauma and the Struggle for Justice in Family Court”

Connect with Dr. Z:

https://www.drjaimezuckerman.com/

https://www.zgrouptherapy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/dr.z_psychologist/

https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.z_psychologist

https://www.youtube.com/@DrJaimeZuckerman

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