Becky
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Becky is a lawyer who lives with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by bullying. The PTSD triggers anxiety and migraines, from which Becky says it can take ‘days or weeks’ to recover.
Becky works in the child protection and family law systems.
‘I specialise in providing legal services to people who have survived trauma and mental illnesses, as I also have that experience.’
Becky told the Royal Commission her personal experience with PTSD gives her an understanding of the legal barriers people with disability face.
‘There are significant process obstacles in the legal system for traumatised or mentally ill witnesses, such as assumptions that all mental illness causes delusions or paranoia.’
Becky said those assumptions undermine the credibility of traumatised parents, and favour abusive parents.
‘On at least three occasions I've become aware of psychologists and psychiatrists accepting the history provided by the perpetrator of abuse to diagnose my client with rare disorders.’
Becky said survivors of family violence often develop PTSD and then struggle to advocate for themselves and prove their allegations of abuse.
‘The courts and some “experts” treat this as positive proof of “parental alienation”’, in which the abused parent is accused of making false accusations to undermine the child’s relationship with the abuser.
‘This has happened on numerous occasions.’
Becky said courts are removing children from parents with PTSD and placing them in the care of perpetrators of abuse.
‘The children removed from the parents suffering from trauma sustain far greater damage in the care of the abuser than they would with their … traumatised parent, if the traumatised parent had adequate mental health care.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.