Abstract

Abandonment of wives in their home countries by their husbands who are UK residents has become a growing phenomenon that practitioners may encounter in their work. This article explores the nature and consequences of transnational marriage abandonment for its victims and survivors, and argues that this practice should be considered as a form of domestic violence because it involves coercive and controlling behaviour intended to deprive a woman of her financial and residence rights and rights relating to her children. In the context of the recent recognition of transnational abandonment as a form of domestic abuse by the family justice system through Practice Direction 12j, It outlines some issues for policy-making on domestic violence as well as for frontline practitioners in the UK.