Fathers 4 Justice

The Campaign Against a Fatherless Society.

  • UK pressure group for fathers’ rights
    • Sectional group (gender)
    • Outsider group (stunts and publicity)
  • Helps fathers to get access to their children after separation/divorce proceedings

Structure

  • Founded by Matt O’Connor in 2003
    • Activist who was denied access to his kids following his divorce in 2003
    • Only 8% of residence orders were granted to fathers during early 2000s
  • Represents 36,000 registered families, “the world’s largest equal parenting group”

Policies and aims

  • End fatherlessness
  • Legal presumption of 50/50 shared parenting
  • Court transparency
  • Child support gender equality

Methods

  • Stunts
    • Often in superhero costumes
    • Oct 2003: David Chick, dressed as spiderman, climbs a 100ft crane at Tower Bridge
    • May 2004: F4J activists threw purple flour at Tony Blair during PMQs
    • Sept 2004: Jason Hatch climbed Buckingham Palace dressed as Batman
  • Direct support with fathers on their cases
  • Lobbying and policy advocacy
    • Not much overall impact
    • Claimed indirect influence on Children and Families Act 2014
    • Many MPs express support for shared parenting but no actual changes put in place

Controversies

  • Member of F4J plotted to kidnap Tony Blair’s son, leading the group to be disbanded (but later reformed)
  • Many of their stunts cause disruption to the public
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