In criminal law, if a child is being harmed, we remove them from danger. In family law, we often mandate they maintain contact with the person harming them. Let that sink in. Practice Direction 12J exists for a reason. Introduced in 2017 (revised 2023), PD12J explicitly requires family courts to: Investigate domestic abuse allegations at every stage Conduct fact-finding hearings when abuse is disputed Assess risk before ordering contact Prioritise child safety over parental "