Battered mothers and child custody is becoming a popular subject of discussion between the feminist or the mother’s rights movement and the father’s rights movement. However, the feminist movement portrayal and position on battered mothers and child custody varies greatly from that of the father’s movement and its portrayal and position of battered mothers and child custody. Glenn Sacks describes in an article Shockhome Syndrome how the feminist movement is worried about the fatherhood movement and as a result have organized a call for a “mother’s rights movement.” In another article, he analyzes the Batters Mothers Custody Conference position on battered mothers and child custody, claims of abuse in the family court, and its position that women are the victims of the family court. This is dipolar opposite to the father’s movement and its position that father’s are the vicitims of the family court.

Regardless of which party is statistically more likely to be the bigger victim of the family court the divorce effects and children caught in the middle often result in the child being the biggest casualty (or victim). New research studies children and divorce and reports the long term effects. In a recent study published in the March issues of Family Process, it was reported that children of divorce feel effects twenty years later. “This study supports the need for policies, laws and programs that are aimed at decreasing conflict between divorcing parents.”