The Scotland Saga

Crossing The Line

By Dawn Bates

Crossing The Line is a story of love, compassion and forgiveness; of taking control of your own life and fighting for what you believe in. A story of strength, courage and resilience.

Becoming a single parent is tough enough as it is, but when the police arrest you and throw you in a cell for 2.5 days, without questioning, without telling you why; and then social services tell you to sign your children over to them, or they’ll take them off you anyway, life takes on a whole new level of crazy; especially when you fight back against the system.

Over the past 2 years Dawn has had insights into the darker depths of the policing and justice system that operates on the West Coast of Scotland. Seen first-hand the challenges of what it means to be a single parent in today’s society, and how the various systems of governance, combined with organisational structure have a debilitating effect on those who are raising children alone; and the stigmatism that goes with it. This isn’t just her story. This is the story of many.