What are examples of gaslighting?

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Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse and psychological manipulation where the abuser presents false information to the victim to make the victim question their own reality, judgment, and perception. The aim of the gaslighter is to seek total power and control over the victim.

Examples of gaslighting include.

Denial. The gaslighter will flatly deny that something occurred, making the victim question their intuition and memory.

Invalidation. The gaslighter will minimise and invalidate the victims feelings, intelligence or abilities. This makes the victim feel inadequate and unreasonable for having an emotional response.

Constant lying. The gaslighter will distort the truth and deny things they have said and done, even when you have proof to the contrary.

The gaslighter will question your sanity and tell others the victim is overreacting and suffers from mental health issues.

If you are experiencing any relationship issues and need help, contact The Family Law Specialists to arrange a free telephone consultation.

What is a private image?

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A private image generally refers to a photograph, video or digital image that are intimate in nature and not intended to be shared with the public or unauthorised individuals. Sharing or distributing a private image without the depicted persons consent can be a criminal offence under the Online Safety Act 2023, especially if the intent is to harass, intimidate, humiliate, or cause alarm and distress.

Consent to take or possess such images does not imply consent to share them more widely. Courts can require offenders to delete all copies of the images, including digital and physical versions.

For more help on a relationship issue, contact The Family Law Specialists to arrange a free telephone consultation.

What is a bird nesting agreement?

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A bird nesting agreement is a co-parenting arrangement used by separated or divorced parents where the children remain living in the family home, while each parent takes turns living there with the children.

Key features of a bird nesting agreement include the rota for who should stay at the family home and when, how long should the arrangement last, agreements as to financial responsibilities, rules on communication, and how any disagreements will be resolved.

Bird nesting is designed to prioritise the children’s needs after a separation, and maintain their stability, routine, and consistency while longer-term living arrangements are worked out.

What powers do the Child Maintenance Service have?

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The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) in England and Wales has the power to calculate, arrange, and enforce child maintenance payments. It can also work to resolve disagreements regarding parentage and locate missing parents.

In cases of non-payment, the CMS can take various legal actions, including applying for liability or charging orders, and using bailiffs to seize assets.

The CMS also has the power to recover child maintenance by deducting maintenance payments from a salary, bank or building society account or benefits at source.

In cases of non-compliance, the CMS can disqualify a non-compliant parent from holding or obtaining a driving licence or UK passport.

What is shuttle mediation?

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Shuttle mediation is a form of non-court dispute resolution where the mediator shuttles between parties who are physically or virtually separated, rather than being in the same room together.

The mediator negotiates between disputing parties by clarifying any misunderstandings, conveying messages, proposals, and counterproposals until an agreement is reached, or it becomes clear that an agreement cannot be reached.

Shuttle mediation is useful in situations where one or both parties feel uncomfortable or unsafe being in the same room as the other, or there is a history of abuse, or a power imbalance between the parties.

What is a Without Prejudice offer?

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A “without prejudice” offer is a settlement proposal made during a legal dispute that is expressly marked as “without prejudice.

The key feature of a Without Prejudice offer is that it is generally inadmissible in court, and cannot be presented as evidence if a dispute proceeds to a final hearing, except in very limited circumstances.

The main purpose of a without prejudice offer is to encourage open, honest, and genuine negotiations between the parties, and make concessions in an attempt to settle the dispute.

Marking correspondence “Without Prejudice” does not automatically make it inadmissible if it is not a genuine offer of settlement.

What is co-petting?

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Co-petting refers to the shared care and responsibility of a pet between two people who were previously in a relationship. It is similar to co-parenting, but instead of children, it relates to pets.

Co-petting avoids the distress of “losing” a connection with a pet when a relationship ends, and ensures the pet continues to receive love and care from both its owners.

In practice, both parties agree to split the duties and care of pet ownership, such as decision making, financial responsibility, walking, veterinary visits, and general care such as feeding.

Co-petting can be informal or formalised through documents such as a Separation Agreement.

What is a gay marriage?

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A gay marriage (more formally known as a same-sex marriage), refers to the legal union of two people of the same sex in England and Wales. Same-sex couples can marry in civil ceremonies, and in religious ceremonies if the religious organisation has opted in and the officiant agrees.

A gay marriage is recognised with the same legal standing, rights, and status as an opposite-sex marriage.

The introduction of gay marriage in March 2014, was designed to promote equality and respect for all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation.

What is a CVP hearing?

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A CVP hearing refers to a court hearing conducted remotely using the Cloud Video Platform, which is a secure, internet-based video conferencing system provided by Her Majestys Courts and Tribunals Service. CVP enables judges, lawyers, parties, and witnesses to participate in hearings from different locations using a computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access and a camera and microphone.

The platform is similar to Zoom or Microsoft Teams, and is secure.

CVP was introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is commonly used for procedural, case management, or directions hearings as it enables a court to schedule hearings with greater flexibility.

What is an empty shell marriage?

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An empty shell marriage is a term used to describe a marriage in which the couple remains married and often continue to live together, but the relationship has lost its passion, emotional connection, and intimacy.

Couples in an empty shell marriage often share a home and daily routines, but they function as separate individuals, and cohabit more like roommates rather than a married couple.

An empty shell marriage exists in name alone, often maintained for external reasons such as children, financial concerns, religious or cultural reasons or social expectations.