Light up
d.a.r.v.o
Illuminating coercive control
Educating court professionals
Protecting children
What Does the Research Reveal About Child Custody Decisions in Abuse Cases?
CLE & CE Webinar with Joan S. Meier, JD
Thursday, July 23 | 12:00 PM Central
Live via
Join Light Up D.A.R.V.O as Professor Joan Meier shares findings from the first national study of custody outcomes in cases involving abuse and alienation allegations — including what the data reveals about judicial decision-making and gender bias. Followed by a live Q&A with Professor Meier.
Reviews of documented cases suggest that a child dies approximately every 5–6 days in circumstances linked to custody disputes and family court involvement .
These are not unforeseeable tragedies. Many of these cases involve prior reports of abuse, existing protection orders, or documented safety concerns—highlighting critical gaps in how risk is recognized and addressed within family court systems.
DARVO — Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender — is a manipulation tactic frequently used by abusers to distort reality, silence survivors, and confuse the very systems designed to protect families.
In everyday life, DARVO creates confusion, chaos, and self-doubt. In family court, it can place children at serious risk.
Light Up DARVO exists to bring these dynamics into the light—especially where they matter most.
We are committed to:
Educating court professionals
Providing research-based information to communities and policymakers
Supporting protective parents navigating complex legal systems
Advancing legislative reforms that promote trauma-informed, evidence-based decision-making in family courts
We believe children deserve systems that recognize patterns of abuse—not just isolated incidents.
When systems misunderstand coercive control, children suffer. When professionals are educated, outcomes change.
Education is prevention. Awareness is protection. Light changes everything.
