Opinion Column by Jett Jackson

When we think about the legal system, we imagine a system that was put in place to help protect people and ensure that we can resolve family, civil and criminal matters.

If you have never been through the legal system…be thankful and stay away from it. Today we will look at the family legal system.

Recently in Calgary Alberta a mother had her life taken outside of her kids’ school by her ex-partner. What a tragic loss. Our hearts go out to the children and her family and friends. This case had been heard in our family legal system more then once, in fact the person who took her life, (and his own life) was her ex husband who had already been charged with domestic violence and had a do not contact order in place… - he was not in jail, and all she had to protect her and the kids was a piece of paper saying he was not to contact her or be with in so many feet of her.

“In the best interest of the child” is what family law is supposed to be based around. In this case (along with multiple other family law cases) the legal system FAILED, not only a mother, but two children and a father.

Recently I heard an alarming quote. “For every 1 NHL player that has a concussion, there is 7000 women who have undiagnosed concussion due to partner & domestic violence” (Kix Citton) READ THAT AGAIN!!!

When will our family legal systems start working in the best interest of the children? When will they start getting abusers help and protecting the abused.

FACT: people often say “why didn’t she just leave” when talking about domestic violence situations. A woman often stays in an abusive relationship to protect the children. But if a woman with children leaves the abuser, the court system still makes the children go and see the abusers, the mother can not be there to protect the children. (((read that again: the mother can not protect the children if she isn’t there))) Even if there is proof of abuse, the court systems do NOT protect the children or the person being abused, but the abuser gets to continue to just be, instead of having the court system send them to jail for abuse and or to therapy for help.

How many people must die due to domestic violence before the system will change? How many families need to go bankrupt due to paying lawyers and court fees before the system will change? When will the government put family law, civil and criminal law on the table to redo, discuss and improve?

It's time, that we start discussing ALL the cases our SYSTEMS have failed. It’s TIME to CHANGE how our legal system & other supporting system work.