Women in the Family Court Underworld: Stories of Survival, Coercive Control, and the Fight for Justice

About this episode

This episode explores the hidden realities of coercive control and abuse within the family court system through the experiences of survivors and the insights of the guests.

In this episode of the Voice2Change podcast by Jane Doe No More, host Jocelyn Maminta sits down with Dr. Christine Marie Cocchiola and Amy Polacko for a deep dive into the hidden realities of coercive control and abuse in the family court system. They also disuses the book they co-authored " Women in the Family Court Underworld, " sharing firsthand accounts from their work supporting survivors. In this conversation they uncover the dark side of family courts where abusers often manipulate the system to continue their control. The conversation also discusses the motivations behind writing their book, systemic issues of collusion, and judicial immunity within the courts. Topics Discussed: The realities of the family court system The concept of the “abuser’s playbook” Challenges and emotional toll women face when trying to leave abusive relationships Coercive control legislation Strategies for women entering or navigating family court Identifying abuse early in relationships The role of gender within the court system Resources for listeners Speaking out despite fear or risk Hope for systemic change Your voice matters — please ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ take our short survey ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ so we can…

People in this episode

Host: Jocelyn Maminta

Guests: Dr. Christine Marie Cocchiola, Amy Polacko

Topics covered

• coercive control
• family court system
• abuse
• survivor support
• judicial immunity
• systemic change

Keywords

• family court
• coercive control legislation
• abuser's playbook
• emotional toll
• gender issues
• systemic issues
• survivor stories

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Jane Doe No More, Coercive Control Consulting, Freedom Warrior

Books & works: Women in the Family Court Underworld

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