Petition · past parliament · Ministry of Justice
Prevent rapists from having parental responsibility
Closed
68 signatures
What the petition asks
Change the law on parental responsibility so that rapists cannot have parental responsibility in respect of any children, especially the children of their victim or victims. This should apply if someone is convicted of rape, or where a family court finds that rape has taken place.
We believe family law regarding parental responsibility in the UK is a disgrace. A rapist shouldn’t ever have parental responsibility for children especially when they’ve raped that child’s mother (or parent). Allowing rapists parental responsibility to the victim's child can cause ongoing trauma to the rape victims. It doesn’t allow victims to heal and move on. Victims can fear for themselves and their child the rest of their lives.
Timeline
| 21 Oct 2022 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 21 Apr 2023 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
68
Status
Closed
Department
Ministry of Justice
Opened
21 Oct 2022
Closed
21 Apr 2023
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.