HOW IT ALL STARTED
Moms Fight Back was founded by Heidi Ganahl in 2013 to help moms tackle the toughest issues our kids face, together. Heidi and Maralee met and decided to join forces to reform our broken family court system.
They remain close friends and are both committed to reforming our family court system nationwide to protect children that are victims of child abuse and domestic violence. Maralee is leading Moms Fight Back now that Heidi is focused on becoming Colorado’s next Governor.
To most mothers, learning their child has been sexually abused is among their worst nightmares. And being unable to stop the abuse despite almost sixteen years of effort, and being robbed of almost all contact with that child is a nightmare most can’t comprehend.
This nightmare became real for Maralee McLean, and her book “Prosecuted but not Silenced” details it. The entire narrative of “protective mothers”- mothers who have to share custody of their children with dangerous, abusive men- defies belief, just because it seems too wrong to happen in our “civilized” society.
MARALEE'S STORY
People with background knowledge of the plight of protective mothers will recognize many themes of Maralee’s story- woman falls in love with a “nice guy” who turns violent, uses the divorce to unleash a previously unimaginable level of cruelty and violence, and a court system so blinded to this evil and to the needs of children they facilitate it. But for those who still find Maralee’s story beyond belief, there is almost a hundred pages of appendices providing the actual documentation mentioned in the chapters of the book Prosecuted Not Silenced, as well as background on issue.
HEIDI'S STORY
When Maralee told Heidi her story, they became allies in protecting children, and working together to reform our court system to protect our children.
Heidi founded Moms Fight Back to do just that when her daughter dealt with a couple brutal blows during her senior year of high school that rocked them both to the core.
​
The first ordeal came when she was sexually assaulted by a boy she’d known since 8th grade – a popular, well-liked football player.
​
The surprising follow-up blow was delivered by the justice system and local DA – the very people who were supposed to protect her and right the “wrongs.” Her daughter was a sweet, beautiful girl – a model student, homecoming queen, lead in the spring musical, who trusted the local law enforcement would make things “right,” hold the boy who assaulted her accountable, and keep him from doing it again. Because that’s what we teach our kids the justice system will do.
​
It was the treatment she received at the hands of the local DA that has left the deepest scars, the greatest trauma, and the most confusion. The very people she and their family turned to for help after the assault left them questioning just how safe our children are.
​
The case never went to trial even though the boy admitted what he had done in a text message. Heidi’s daughter also had the physical bruises and scars to prove her story. The DA pursuing the charges, the sheriff investigating, and the people up the chain of command let them down. Even the school didn’t do what it was supposed to do in response to a sexual assault case. The whole system, top to bottom, let them down.
OUR WHY
Who really is looking out for our kids? It’s mainly us, mamas.
We’re in this on our own but we’re in it together.
So, MOMS FIGHT BACK is now a community of powerful and passionate moms who are coming together, online and in their neighborhoods, to positively tackle the most pressing issues facing our kids today. We mothers can learn from each other, and Moms Fight Back was created to be at the forefront of those efforts.
​
Moms Fight Back’s mission as a 501(c)4 is focused on the common good we can accomplish as women and moms. Currently, we are focusing our efforts on family court reform.
​
We believe it’s paramount to give moms the opportunity, and forum, to learn and discuss how our legislators, community leaders, and local non-profits can come together to best support Colorado moms as they care for their families.
​
Furthermore, it is the policy and commitment of Moms Fight Back that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, or religion.
Moms Fight Back takes seriously its moral and legal commitment to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination in employment and all personnel, grantmaking, training, volunteer opportunities, and all other programs and activities and to recruit, hire, train, and promote at all levels the most qualified individual without regard to race, ethnicity, age, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, transgender/transsexual identity, economic class, educational background, physical or mental disability, medical condition, or marital status.
