This article analyses the implementation of family mediation as a policy aimed at regulating family conflicts and its role in intimate partner violence (IPV) cases, through a comparison between Spain and Italy. Family mediation in case of IPV is banned in both countries, which have ratified the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. However, this proscription is not always implemented and women victims of IPV end up participating in mediation sessions with their violent former partners. On the basis of two qualitative studies based on semi-structured interviews with women (N=13 in Italy, N=20 in Spain), we outline the problems of secondary victimization, minimization of IPV and blame of the IPV victims in family mediation. We conclude that this system of non-juridicization of family conflicts makes it more difficult for women and children to escape gender-based violence.
