We’re helping a woman challenge the law that’s failed her child

A High Court judge has forced a six-year-old girl, known as D, to keep the surname of the man who raped her mother. Because it was her father, the court says the surname is part of D’s identity and heritage – even though the man attacked her mother, hasn’t seen his daughter since 2021 and has threatened to kill them both.

The mother wants to change her daughter’s name, to erase this permanent reminder of what she endured, so she turned to Good Law Project for help. We’re aiming to set a precedent that forces courts to think harder about what it means to be raped – we think our justice systems needs to be properly trauma informed. Courts must protect survivors.