I suffered abuse abroad as a UK citizen

[AnonymousAnon123]

Hello I was just wondering if anyone has suffered abuse abroad as a UK citizen or has any advice on the situation

Me and My Baby left with no house and no money and are temporarily staying with family

The abuse was physical and emotional towards me

He seems to want to try and get custody I am trying to stop that happening to protect My Baby

He also was making threats saying he would do all kinds of things towards me if I didn’t return to his country

So far I have applied for benefits and I’m looking for housing but my local domestic abuse support helpline has said they can’t help me because the abuse happened abroad

I was just hoping for some advice if possible please with housing, benefits I could get and making sure he doesn’t get custody

[Lisa]

Hi AnonymousAnon123,

Welcome to the forum and thank you for posting and sharing about your situation. I hope that you find the forum to be a safe and supportive place to be with others who understand.

I’m sorry that you had that experience contacting your local domestic abuse helpline. You should be able to get support where you’re living, even if the abuse happened elsewhere. You mentioned threats he’d made and it sounds like those may have happened since you returned to the UK, so possibly the abuse is ongoing.

You could use our Live Chat service (8am – 4pm, Monday – Friday) to speak to a Women’s Aid worker about your options. They won’t tell you what to do but can discuss your situation and signpost you to other support that’s relevant to you.

Take care and keep posting,
Lisa
(Forum Moderator)

[Marmalade]

Hi,

I would really advise you to get legal advice. From what you say I am a bit concerned that you have been abused abroad and you have fled back to the UK to family with your child. Maybe I am wrong but that’s what I think you mean. If so, you may be in a difficult position.

If that is the case then you need urgent legal advice as your ex could start legal proceedings to have your child returned to their country of usual residence. Most countries are signatories to The Hague Convention and this means that in many cases children are ordered to return to their usual country for the courts in that country to decide who the child  lives with.

If you are in the UK now, please see a solicitor. Some solicitors offer the first 30 minutes free. You can also ring Rights of Women. They are only open limited hours and it is hard to get through but worth keeping on trying as they are helpful.

If you are not in the UK then please see a local lawyer. You need to know your rights to make sure that child abduction proceedings can not be started against you.

Good luck

 

[AnonymousAnon123]

Hi I’m not sure how much detail I can say on here but I wasn’t a citizen of this country and My Baby had not received their residency yet I was already coming back to the UK on a particular date to get My Visa so I waited until this date to not raise suspicion but he broke up with me (timeframe removed by Moderator) but since I’ve been back in the UK he has switched to saying he wants to get back with me and he wants our family back together and he’s made threats towards me if I don’t return to his country with My Baby I have been looking for advice on legal help with little money and I’ve been looking for Solicitors that accept Legal Aid so I’m looking into this

Thank You for your response

[Marmalade]

Ring Rights of Women family law helpline. You need advice on whether you are at risk of child abduction proceedings being brought against you. I think it is very important that you get some good legal advice quickly.

[Author]

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