No matter where you live in the world, if you haven't done so, please sign this petition requesting that California Governor Gavin Newsom please sign Piqui's Law to strengthen California laws to protect victims and children in Family Court.
Piqui’s Law is named after a 5-year-old boy who was murdered by his father on April 21, 2017. Ana Estevez, the mother of Piqui, fought hard in the California family court to protect her child from her abusive ex-husband and father of Piqui. Despite her efforts, the family court refused to implement supervised visitation, which led to her son’s tragic death. Neither judge in Ana’s case, with backgrounds in complex business law, were prepared for a complex domestic violence case.
Senate Bill 331 will help protect victims and children of domestic violence and child abuse by requiring critical judicial training programs and reporting on domestic violence related topics, including child abuse. Piqui’s Law will also prohibit courts from ordering highly traumatizing, reunification camps that cut the child off from a parent, family, community and other sources of support to address the relationship with the other parent, who is often an unsafe, abusive parent.
Piqui’s Law has not only garnered support from constituents across the entire State of California, but from the California Board of Psychology, University of California, Irvine School of Law, San Gabriel Council of Governments, and Humanitarian and Filmmaker Angelina Jolie. A United Nations representative posted on social media this week hoping that California will “set an example to other states in the US and beyond” by adopting Piqui’s Law.
"I join legislators, victims, their representatives and civil society organizations in urging the California State Assembly and California Senate to do the right thing and adopt Piqui’s Law to contribute to keeping children and safe and free from violence within the context of custody battles, as well as no longer ignoring the history of domestic violence by a perpetrator requesting custody. In doing so, California will hopefully set an example for other States in the US and beyond." - Reem Alsalem United Nations Special Rapporteur, September 10, 2023
The bill will save lives by ensuring judges are able to train on critical topics. It also bans reunification camps (as recommended by the United Nations), which are deeply traumatizing for children.
In March of 2022, President Joe Biden signed the reauthorization of Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA), which included new groundbreaking provisions, known as Kayden’s Law, to improve child safety laws in family court. If passed, California will move closer to becoming eligible to receive federal funding.
California family court judges hold an incredible amount of potential in their hands to cultivate immense levels of health and healing for the children of California. Piqui’s Law will ensure they have the tools to realize that potential.
