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Family Law (Journal)/2000 Volume 30/September/Article/!i"erity# !i"orce An$ %n&ormation 'eeting (
)nuring Acce *o Jutice ( +2000, Fam Law -./
Family Law
[2000] Fam Law 645
1 September 2000
Diversity, Divorce An !n"ormation #eetin$s % &ns'rin$ Access (o
)'stice
0aroline 1ri$ge
Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Manchester
2 Jor$an Publi3ing Limite$ 2000
A central plan4 o& t3e 5o"ernment6 ob7ecti"e in relation to t3e pro"iion o& in&ormation un$er t3e Family
Law Act 188- i to enure e9ual acce to 7utice: *3e ;3ite Paper Looking to the Future: Mediation and the
Ground for Divorce (188/) 0m 2<88 tree t3at one o& t3e a$"antage o& t3e in&ormation meeting a a
compulory ingle &irt port o& call in t3e new $i"orce proce i it percei"e$ ability to enure t3at 6all
peron obtain t3e ame acce to in&ormation about t3e $i"orce proce an$ relate$ matter6: Parliamentary
$icuion 3ig3lig3te$ t3e importance o& enuring t3at t3e Act6 pro"iion were uitable &or an$ a"ailable to
people &rom all race# culture# religiou peruaion an$ peronal circumtance: )nuring t3at t3i
ob7ecti"e i met re9uire not only t3at t3e tatutory in&ormation be preente$ in a way t3at i bot3 rele"ant
an$ compre3enible# but alo t3at it can be rea$ily accee$ by all ector o& t3e $i"ere $i"orcing
population:
=ne o& t3e ta4 &or t3e reearc3 team e"aluating t3e implementation o& Part %% o& t3e Family Law Act 188-
3a been to i$enti&y particular categorie o& people w3o may be $ia$"antage$ by t3e re9uirement to atten$
an in$i"i$ual meeting be&ore ma4ing a tatement o& marital brea4$own (&or a $ecription o& t3e in&ormation
meeting pilot ee ;al4er 6%n&ormation meeting re"iite$6 +2000, Fam Law 330): *3e el$erly# t3e $iable$
an$ member o& t3e prion population are rea$ily i$enti&iable an$ t3eir nee$ in relation to in&ormation
pro"iion are able to be catere$ &or: Le eaily $icernible# an$ t3u more $i&&icult to ait# are t3oe w3oe
religion# culture an$ language $i&&er &rom t3oe o& t3e w3ite ma7ority# an$ t3oe w3o 3a"e e>perience$
$ometic "iolence an$ 3a"e ongoing &ear &or peronal an$ c3il$ a&ety: For many member o& et3nic
minoritie t3e enormity o& $i"orce mean t3at initiating t3e $i"orce proce by atten$ing an in&ormation
meeting may be &raug3t wit3 &ear o& i$enti&ication: )"en t3e eniti"e nature o& t3e tatutory in&ormation may
create t3e potential &or cultural $icom&ort: ;ill a Sout3 Aian woman6 nee$ an$ e>pectation be met i&# &or
e>ample# 3e i gi"en in&ormation about t3e ci"il $i"orce proce# yet belie"e t3at only a religiou $i"orce i
"ali$ in bringing 3er marriage to an en$? ;ill 3e be com&ortable recei"ing in&ormation &rom a w3ite male
preenter# or woul$ a woman o& 3er own culture# preenting culturally peci&ic in&ormation be more uitable?
Atten$ance at an in&ormation meeting poe a parallel range o& concern &or "ictim o& $ometic "iolence#
an$ protection &rom "iolence i# o& coure# one o& t3e &un$amental principle un$erlying t3e Act: An>iety
about i$enti&ication an$ a&ety o& atten$ance are ma7or iue# a i t3e appropriatene o& t3e in&ormation
per e an$ it eniti"e 3an$ling: *3e lat t3ing abue$ poue nee$ once t3ey 3a"e &inally pluc4e$ up t3e
courage to try to e>tricate t3emel"e &rom a "iolent marriage i t3e $iempowering e&&ect o& being urge$ to
t3in4 again an$ to try to a"e t3e marriage ('c0art3y# ;al4er an$ @ooper 6Sa"ing marriage ( a role &or
$i"orce law?6 +2000, Fam Law .12): At t3e ame time# t3e in&ormation meeting pro"i$e an opportunity to
aure "ictim o& $ometic "iolence t3at t3ey are not alone in t3eir e>perience# t3at "iolence $oe not 3a"e
to be en$ure$ an$ t3at 3elp i a"ailable: 1ot3 $ometic "iolence iue an$ et3nicity concern were t3e
ub7ect o& pecial tu$ie wit3in t3e o"erall e"aluation o& in&ormation pro"iion:
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%n&ormation meeting are t3e gateway to t3e new $i"orce proce an$# a uc3# t3ey are a potential &ocal
point &or t3e 3eig3tene$ anger an$ aggreion t3at may accompany eparation an$ $i"orce: %t i clear &rom
t3e cumulati"e e"i$ence o& publi3e$ reearc3 t3at t3ee e"ent repreent $angerou time &or many
women an$ an ecalation in t3e e"erity o& "iolence may go 3an$ in 3an$ wit3 eparation (@eter an$
Aa$&or$ Domestic Violence and hild ontact !rrangements in "ngland and Denmark (Policy Pre# 188-)):
;omen may alo be mot at ri4 &rom $ometic 3omici$e $irectly a&ter eparating &rom t3e abuer (Jone
#omen #ho $ill (Victor# 1881)): *3i e"i$ence i en$ore$ in t3e in&ormation meeting reearc3 w3ere
t3oe alrea$y in"ol"e$ in $i"orce procee$ing be&ore atten$ing a meeting were twice a li4ely a ot3er to
$ecribe t3e $ometic "iolence in&ormation a rele"ant to t3eir ituation: Be"ert3ele# many "ictim o& abue
may be reluctant to re"eal t3e &act: A Cagana an$ Piper conclu$e (6!i"orce an$ $ometic "iolence6 in !ay#
Sclater an$ Piper (e$) Undercurrents of Divorce (!artmout3 1888))# "ictim a well a abuer ten$ to
minimie or $eny "iolence: !icloure# a&ter all# e9uate wit3 ac4nowle$gment t3at t3e relation3ip i o"er:
!epite t3e non+DE208,interacti"e nature o& t3e in&ormation meeting ($ecribe$ by ;al4er (abo"e) a 6rigi$ly
tructure$# to t3e point o& being imperonal an$ routine6) ome atten$ee eiFe$ t3e opportunity to $icloe
abueG 6w3en u&&ering "iolence you lea$ a parallel li&e (normal an$ 3ome)# tolerating it: %t6 aw&ul to 3a"e to
a$mit it6: *3i clearly raie iue &or in&ormation preenter in reacting appropriately an$ enuring t3at
in&ormation i uitable to meet t3e atten$ee6 ube9uent nee$: @owe"er# inter"iew wit3 atten$ee alo
re"eale$ t3e ambiguity urroun$ing perception o& $ometic "iolence: 'any $i$ not ee t3emel"e a
"ictim o& $ometic "iolence# e"en t3oug3 t3ey $icloe$ e>perience o& emotional an$ mental abue at t3e
3an$ o& partner: Beit3er are women (or c3il$ren) t3e ole "ictim o& abue: ;3ile $ometic "iolence i
uually e>perience$ by women# men can alo be "ictim: 0omment uc3 a t3e &ollowing# by a man w3o
3a$ atten$e$ an in&ormation meeting# re"eal t3e e>tent to w3ic3 $ometic "iolence i problematic &or menG
6+t3e wi&e, i part o& a large &amily an$ "iolence i a ma7or part ( it i $i&&icult &or a man to a$mit it in t3e &irt place: !on6t
t3in4 t3ere i enoug3 3elp a"ailable &or men: +!ometic "iolence nee$, more un$ertan$ing an$ not +to be treate$, a
a 7o4e: People treat it more a a 7o4e w3en a man u&&er &rom $ometic "iolence:6
'en percei"e$ t3at "iolence againt t3em wa little un$ertoo$ an$ not rea$ily accepte$# an$ t3at t3ey $i$
not gain aitance &rom t3e police w3en it occurre$G 6been attac4e$ once by wi&e wit3 a 4ni&e: % 3it 3er in
$e&ence: S3e got an in7unction out on me6: %t wa alo re"eale$ t3at abue arie in ot3er &amily relation3ip
a well# an$ in one cae a teenage on6 "iolence 3a$ largely contribute$ to 3i parent6 eparation: %t i
clear t3at abue wit3in t3e wi$er &amily conte>t mut be recognie$ in t3e in&ormation preente$:
Analyi o& $ata e>trapolate$ &rom acro t3e pilot re"eale$ t3at --H o& women an$ /2H o& men w3o
in$icate$ t3at "iolence wa rele"ant to t3eir ituation &elt better in&orme$ about w3ere to get 3elp &ollowing an
in&ormation meeting: =t3er $i$ not &eel better in&orme$# becaue 6t3e in&ormation wa too 4etc3y an$ ga"e
t3e &ale impreion t3at all you 3a$ to $o wa ring t3e police to be protecte$6: =t3er atten$ee were
reaure$ by t3e general rele"ance o& t3e in&ormation: =ne atten$ee commente$G 6%t wa ue&ul to 4now t3at
% wa not t3e only one in t3i ituation an$ t3at t3ere i 3elp i& it i nee$e$6: 1ut uc3 an outcome re9uire
eniti"ity on t3e part o& t3e preenter# an$ 3ere t3e pilot re"eale$ t3e inconitencie in3erent in t3e
in$i"i$ual meeting wit3 a preenter: Some preenter (a well a atten$ee) were embarrae$ w3en t3e
$ometic "iolence iue wa raie$: =ne &emale atten$ee ai$ t3at 3e &oun$ no way to broac3 t3e problem
o& 3er 3uban$6 6ecret $rin4ing an$ "iolence6 wit3 t3e preenter: Iet again# w3en t3e atten$ee wa t3e
"iolent partner t3e inappropriatene o& t3e cript an$ t3e written in&ormation wa all too apparent: =ne
atten$ee commente$ t3at t3e preenter recognie$ t3e inappropriatene o& t3e cripte$ material an$ ga"e#
intea$# ome 3elp&ul remar4# trictly 6o&& t3e recor$6: ="erall# 3owe"er# &ew atten$ee were actually a&rai$
&or t3eir a&ety in relation to atten$ing a meeting# an$ e"en t3oug3 neutral "enue li4e 3ealt3 an$ community
centre are recommen$e$ by group concerne$ wit3 protection &rom abue# only a mall minority tate$ t3at
atten$ance at a meeting 3a$ caue$ t3em problem: Be"ert3ele# it nee$ to be ac4nowle$ge$ t3at people
wit3 eriou concern about $ometic "iolence may imply not 3a"e atten$e$ t3e pilot in t3e &irt place:
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(.& -&&DS *F &(.-!+ #!-*/!(!&S
="er t3e ne>t &ew year# et3nic an$ cultural $i"erity can be e>pecte$ to et t3e political agen$a 7ut a
&orce&ully a $icrimination on t3e bai o& race or colour (Poulter "thnicity, Law and %uman &ights
(1utterwort3# 188E)): *3e law an$ legal procee mut $e"elop policie t3at ta4e account o& t3e
implication o& an et3nically $i"ere population an$ mo"e towar$ a p3iloop3y o& 6cultural pluralim6: *3i
emp3aie t3e importance o& accor$ing repect to t3e $itincti"e culture an$ i$entitie o& et3nic
communitie# w3ilt ac4nowle$ging t3e e>itence o& ome con&lict in "alue: *3e aim i not o muc3 a matter
o& e9uality be&ore t3e law# a repect &or an$ tolerance o& $i"erity ( w3at Poulter call 6cultural pluralim
wit3in limit6: %n relation to in&ormation meeting# t3ere&ore# recognition o& t3oe area o& et3nic an$ religiou
tra$ition w3ic3 et3nic communitie regar$ a &un$amental i "ital# yet t3ey mut be un$ertoo$ wit3in a
conte>t in w3ic3 t3e ame law an$ proce$ure are applicable to e"eryone:
!i"ere attitu$e to marriage an$ $i"orce# t3e 4ey poition o& t3e &amily an$ role o& t3e wi$er &amily# plu t3e
particular nuance o& relation3ip between t3e e>e# are all central c3aracteritic o& $i&&erent et3nic
group: *3i "ariance an$ $i"erity wa ober"able at t3e 3eart o& t3e repone &rom et3nic minority
atten$ee at t3e pilot an$ t3e conultation wit3 et3nic minority group: %n relation to in&ormation about
&uture arrangement &or c3il$ren# &or e>ample# one Aian man commente$G 6we6re Aian o we 3a"e a lot o&
cloe &amily upport: ;e6re loo4ing a&ter 3im +3i on, well an$ a lot o& &amily 3elp i coming a well6:
@owe"er# anot3er Aian man uggete$ t3at t3e more tra$itional way o& &amily li&e wa c3angingG
61eing Aian t3e reaction i 9uite anti+DE208,$i"orce: *3ere6 been a lot o& preure not to $i"orce ::: a lot o& cultural an$
&amily preure to tay toget3er ::: t3e in&ormation meeting wa really 3elp&ul to me ::: e"eryt3ing eem to be &alling
apart anyway in t3e Aian community ( &amily li&e ::: cultural an$ generation gap an$ t3ing li4e t3at:6
Sout3 Aian women con&irme$ t3at t3ey percei"e$ $i"orce to be an e"ent o& tragic proportion an$# li4e t3oe
wit3in t3e ort3o$o> Jewi3 community# t3ey e>pree$ &ear about being i$enti&ie$ atten$ing an in&ormation
meeting: For atten$ee &rom wit3in t3ee communitie iue about t3e tatu o& religiou $i"orce were alo
igni&icant# yet t3ee were not matter on w3ic3 t3e preenter coul$ o&&er any in&ormation: ;3ilt e>ten$e$
&amilie an$ a pronounce$ emp3ai on t3e 3uban$6 role a t3e 3ea$ o& t3e &amily are e"i$ent wit3in ome
et3nic an$ religiou group# &or ot3er# )nglan$6 A&ro+DE208,0aribbean community &or e>ample# t3e "ery
re"ere i true: *3e ma7ority t3ere li"e in &emale(3ea$e$ &amilie wit3# commonly# a e9uence o& $i&&erent
con7ugal &orm# wit3 o&ten an e>ten$e$ perio$ o& table co3abitation: *3eir in&ormation re9uirement are
$i&&erent yet again:
A/& +.*!+& A-D FL&0!1!L!(2 (.& 3&24
@ow# t3en# can a man$atory in&ormation meeting &ul&il t3e $eman$ o& t3i $i"erity? 1ot3 t3e pecial tu$ie
re"eale$ a range o& common iue w3ic3 nee$ to be a$$ree$ i& t3e goal o& e9ual acce to appropriate
in&ormation i to be ac3ie"e$: ;3ere a&ety i a concern ( a it wa &or bot3 group ( t3e in&ormation meeting
"enue i crucial: %t i uggete$ t3at a "enue t3at i bot3 neutral in c3aracter# yet pro"i$e$ wit3 appropriate
ecurity &eature# woul$ enable in&ormation meeting to be ma$e# &or t3e mot part# bot3 a&e an$
acceible: Preenter o& in&ormation play a 4ey role in meeting atten$ee6 nee$: Bot only mut t3ey
un$ergo appropriate training in cultural eniti"ity an$ awarene an$ ac9uire a pecial un$ertan$ing o&
$ometic "iolence iue# but preenter pea4ing t3e ame language# o& t3e ame gen$er an$ o& t3e ame
et3nic origin a t3e atten$ee may be pre&erre$: !i&&erent mo$e o& gi"ing in&ormation were pilote$ (ee
;al4er (abo"e))# but t3ee re"eale$ a$"antage an$ $ia$"antage &or $i&&erent people: For e>ample# an
in$i"i$ual meeting i imbue$ wit3 a ene o& pri"acy an$ con&i$entiality# 3eig3tening t3e propect o& a&ety#
3onety# t3e opportunity &or $icloure an$ t3e &le>ibility to repon$ to nee$: *3i meet t3e nee$ o& ome:
5roup meeting# on t3e ot3er 3an$# o&&er t3e potential &or mutual upport an$ a leening o& t3e intenity o&
an in$i"i$ual meeting ( an$ t3ere i o&ten a&ety in number: *3i meet t3e nee$ o& ot3er: At t3e ame
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time# 3owe"er# group meeting e>acerbate &ear o& i$enti&ication# minimie preenter &le>ibility in repon$ing to
particular nee$# an$ are potentially culturally embarraing &or many et3nic minoritie: Preenting
in&ormation "ia a 0!+DE208,A=' woul$# i$eally# meet t3ee concern an$ woul$# $epite being &raug3t wit3
a range o& gen$er an$ et3nicity iue relating to computer uage# 3a"e t3e a$"antage o& enabling t3e
atten$ee to pen$ more time on in&ormation about $ometic "iolence wit3out 3a"ing to $icloe it a a
problem: *3e in&ormation containe$ in t3e in&ormation pac4# "i$eo an$ 0!(A=' 3a t3e potential to meet a
range o& $i"ere nee$: %t mut# o& coure# be accurate an$ rele"ant# but it mut alo be culturally peci&ic# be
a"ailable in t3e language an$ tyle o& language uitable to t3e recipient# an$ contain local contact $etail o&
rele"ant upport agencie: *3e tenion between in$i"i$ual nee$ an$ t3e tructure o& t3e in&ormation
meeting a etabli3e$ in t3e pilot i clearly apparent# an$ t3e c3allenge o& enuring t3at all people initiating
$i"orce by atten$ing a meeting 3a"e e9ual acce to rele"ant in&ormation i immene:
*3e c3allenge coul$ ne"ert3ele be met: %n&ormation meeting coul$ pro"i$e culturally peci&ic# ocially
appropriate# peronally rele"ant# non(7u$gmental in&ormation in a manner uite$ to t3e circumtance o& t3e
atten$ee i& a 6one+DE208,iFe+DE208,&it(all6 mo$el o& in&ormation pro"iion i ec3ewe$ in &a"our o& a &ormat
embracing bot3 c3oice an$ &le>ibility: *3e in&ormation preenter coul$ rea$ily a$$re particular concern i&
t3e meeting were more peronally tailore$# an$ i& t3e cript ma$e allowance &or t3e incluion or e>cluion o&
certain type o& in&ormation an$ wa create$ wit3 greater eniti"ity an$ &le>ibility: 5reater rele"ance coul$
be ac3ie"e$ i& t3e preenter were able to ait atten$ee to c3ooe &rom a range o& 6tan$ar$6 pac4age o&
in&ormation an$ t3u enure t3at omet3ing more a4in to a peronal inter"iew wa e>perience$: Aecognition
o& $i"erity i eential i& t3e in&initely "ariable circumtance o& t3e $i"orcing population are to be properly
a$$ree$: