Judicial Abuse

 

 

Judicial Abuse [from web archive]

Introduction

Judicial abuse occurs when the effects of law itself are damaging to the person access to justice. In the most severe forms, Judicial abuse often occurs involving the most vulnerable members of our world: Children. For some time, judicial abuse has occurred across systems and mostly against mothers and children. Considering that it was not that long ago that both women and children were seen and not heard, just as things were improving it seemed as though humanity was finally valuing each and every precious human life. Out in the public, such things would and do cause enough outrage for a sense of "natural justice". Away from the public eye, these human rights atrocities occur almost unseen and unheard like a thief in the night.

Secrecy

There are laws that prevent survivors from speaking out about their experiences. Whilst it is "for the children", children are not allowed to speak about the proceedings either. The media have written too few articles on the family court. To bring the case to the media, participants must seek permission from the court itself or face imprisonment. Controversially, fathers rights groups were allowed to heavily voice their stories of "no contact", "falsely accused of child abuse and domestic violence" and few were allowed to challenge that except in utilizing generalist terms and evidence based research. We are aware that most of these stories are not the case at all but are withheld by law to bring the public the truth.

Family Court

In the process of seeking more time with children and promoting what appears to be the most noble cause, has entrenched the rights of mothers and children in their ability to seek safety from violence. Heads have been quoted in the media for stating that "family violence is our core business". The propaganda that is spread about the voices of children and their access to justice promotes the profitability in manufacturing child abuse and domestic violence. They can do something about it, but it is not within their best economical advantage to do so. This will continue until something is done

A Nation of Motherless Children? Father's Rights

A Nation of Motherless Children? | Janie McQueen, Author and Divorce Gamesmanship Expert

A Nation of Motherless Children?
http://janiemcqueen.com/a-nation-of-motherless-children/

"In some of the more severely manipulated cases, the tables were turned on mothers who sought to protect their children from abusive fathers; they were punished in family court and by the abusive parent.

Many are limited to a couple hours’ supervised visitation every two weeks. They don’t have the privilege of shaking on the bleachers with the rest of us, who naturally take such excursions for granted. Many times there’s a protective order that would keep them from attending even public events such as this, when all they long to do is see their children in action, and enjoy a game to break up a brutal week of missing their children.

...What kind of man goes to every length and expense possible to deny his children a healthy, some would say critical, portion of motherly love in their lives? Or not even that–what kind of man begrudges his ex any meaningful contact with her own children? Is this not evidence he could be lacking as a father? If not, why? Sorry about that failed relationship, man, but the children from it remain. Lucky you to have a magic wallet to make it all go away.

It’s time to stop treating kids as chattel instead of children."

Janie McQueen's Book on How Family Court Is A Game:
Hanging On By My Fingernails: Surviving the New Divorce Gamesmanship, and How a Scratch Can Land You in Jail

In this daring, groundbreaking book, journalist Janie McQueen unveils the truth behind the "new divorce gamesmanship"--vicious tactics that thrust victims into complex webs of legal tangles that destroy spirits and hobble divorce cases.

These surprisingly common--and legally deadly--ploys can and often lead to criminal charges and trials, lingering records, heartbreaking child custody battles, embarrassing distortion campaigns, and even unemployment as employers increasingly trawl the Internet for background checks.

Court Rules Human Rights Violation of Mother's whos babies taken away

BBC News - Mothers' rights 'breached' after babies taken into care

Mothers' rights 'breached' after babies taken into care

Two women whose new-born babies were taken into care have won a court ruling that their human rights were breached.

The mothers sought a judicial review after Renfrewshire Council and Glasgow City Council were granted protection orders by local sheriffs.

In both cases, the women were not given any notice or represented in court.

The Glasgow case involved a woman who had a history of prostitution and drug-taking. The other involved an 18-year-old who had parental care issues.

In the Renfrewshire case, it was noted that the teenage mother had a previous child in March 2009.

Supervision order

The child went home two days after the birth but was back in hospital a week later "due to lack of parental care".

The baby was given to foster carers and made the subject of a supervision order in August of the same year.

When the teenage mother became pregnant again, Renfrewshire Council warned her that they intended to take the child away at birth.

Her lawyer tried to lodge a caveat at the local sheriff court - a procedure which should guarantee a hearing before a decision is made.

The Court of Session in Edinburgh heard that the sheriff refused to allow such a move after her son was born in July 2010.

The Glasgow case involved a woman who had a history of drug-taking, prostitution and homelessness.

Lord Brailsford heard that she gave birth in 2004 and the baby was given to her mother to look after.

The judge noted that a report by social workers at the time concluded she did not have the capacity to care for the child.

"She showed no real bond with the child, had no idea of the child's needs and needed constant supervision over parental care issues," said Lord Brailsford.

The woman gave birth again in 2009 and midwives at the hospital expressed "serious concerns".

Mother attacked

Less than a week later the child was placed on the Child Protection Register.

The following April a Children's Hearing placed the child under supervision.

The Court of Session heard that the mother was attacked by the child's drug addict father while she was pregnant.

A case conference of social work child protection officers, police, a midwife and a psychologist decided to seek a Child Protection Order for the third baby as soon as possible.

The mother knew Glasgow City Council planned an application to a sheriff but she too was refused permission to lodge a caveat the day after her son was born, again in July 2010.

In both cases, sheriffs made orders to take the boys away without giving the mothers any notice and without them being represented.

Lord Brailsford noted that there were two issues involved in the cases.

The first was whether the mothers had a right to put their case to a sheriff.

The other question was whether, in all the circumstances, it was right to make the orders the local authorities wanted.

The women's case was based on provisions in the European Convention on Human Rights guaranteeing respect for family life and the right to a fair hearing.

Family life

Lord Brailsford was told that previous court challenges in Finland and Germany had led to rulings that it was a violation of the Convention Rights if it were possible to hear a parent's case without putting the child at risk.

The judge was also told that the women could have appealed against the orders at sheriff court level, without involving the Court of Session.

Lord Brailsford rejected the claim that the women should have been allowed to lodge caveats, saying their right to be heard did not come into play at that early stage.

He did conclude, however, that their right to enjoy family life had been affected.

"Both parties were prepared and ready for a hearing. There was no immediate risk or threat to the children," said the judge.

"A hearing could, in any event, have been dealt with and arranged expeditiously by the sheriff court if required."

Another hearing is expected, to decide what Lord Brailsford's decision could mean in practical terms for the women and the authorities.

The hearing will also address the issue of who will have to pay legal costs.

Monologues brings attention to domestic violence. Vagina Monologues

By ALYSSA COFFEY

The movement known as V-Day began 14 years ago from the “outrageous idea that we could end violence against women.” This goal, as described above by V-Day pioneer Eve Ensler, has created a new culture celebrated at USC with the annual production of The Vagina Monologues.

According to the Family Violence Prevention Fund, one in three women will face sexual or physical assault in her lifetime. For 2013, V-Day sought to emphasize that ending violence against women is a global battle with the theme One Billion Rising.

The Vagina Monologues provides an artistic medium to raise awareness about these issues of violence through camaraderie and comedy, by way of vaginas. V-Day aims to raise campus awareness within the student body concerning the problems faced by students with vaginas by engaging the campus in the show and reducing the stigma of discussion surround vaginas.

Samantha Brown, the current director of the production,  said she became involved because the organization has gotten smaller since people have graduated. She believes the show to be insightful and that everyone should see it. Since USC once hosted the author of The Vagina Monologues, the goal is to revitalize the organization to its greatest period of involvement seen in 2009.

Francesca Bessey, a sophomore majoring in narrative studies and international relations, said she was drawn to her involvement with V-Day and The Vagina Monologues in an effort to exemplify how diverse the student body is and to engage issues of gender, race and sexual violence which are underrepresented at USC.

The monologues, with names like “Hair” and “My Vagina Was My Village,” range in tone from comedic to heartfelt, emotions that will be communicated by the cast of 28 students. The female-identified cast was recruited and auditioned late last semester, with directors Alexis Agolsove and Katelyn Morse  matching them with particular monologues. The cast has been diligently rehearsing for the show at the Village Gate Theater.

Brown hopes that attendees will feel compelled to stand up this year and join One Billion Rising after seeing the show. The show looks not only to enlighten but also enliven in this way.

To contribute to the movement at large, V-Day at USC is supporting programs actively engaged in work against domestic violence. All of the proceeds from The Vagina Monologues will benefit V-Day USC’s nonprofit partner,A Window Between Worlds. This is a nonprofit that works to use art to combat domestic violence and facilitates the healing and empowerment of survivors through their creative expression projects.

The organization’s curriculum of renewing art has helped over 74,000 women and children since 1991. As a contribution to V-Day’s One Billion Rising effort, A Window Between Worlds developed its own project called “I Can We Can” where people create art on their palms expressing what they can do to fight, bring awareness to or overcome different forms of gender violence we encounter.

After creating their piece, people are invited to upload an image to the catalogue of images on A Window Between Worlds’ website, which functions as a compilation of action-worthy statements regarding the movement against domestic violence. People will be able to participate in this project both at The Vagina Monologues show and later in the semester on Trousdale Parkway.

Other productions of The Vagina Monologues and the movement at large have raised more than $90 million, benefited numerous community-based programs dedicated to anti-violence causes and helped to sustain shelters among other philanthropic efforts. The V-Day campaign has been acknowledged for its outstanding charitable work in publications including Worth’s 100 Best Charities and Marie Claire’s Top 10 Charities.

Despite its unique and slightly risque title, The Vagina Monologues is a production well worth seeing this Valentine’s Day weekend.

Will new rules help N.J. divorce debate? (Only If Mothers Are Allowed To Leave w Her Children)

NJ.com : Will new rules help N.J. divorce debate?

Will new rules help N.J. divorce debate? (Only If Mothers Are Allowed To Leave w Her Children)

Documentary targets family courts and custody evaluators. "No Way Out But One@

Documentary targets family courts and custody evaluators. "No Way Out But One"

http://forensicpsychologist.blogspot.com/2012/12/documentary-targets-family-courts-and.html?m=1 Documentary targets family courts and custody evaluators

Testimony Before the House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice Kansas House Bill 2517 Domestic Violence Law (DV tag)

 

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Douglas J. Miles Chief Deputy DA Colorado Springs, CO. Domestic Violence Specialist -

Written Testimony only.

 

Ed Klumpp_ Associations of: . Chief of Police_ Peace Officers_ Sherriff’s -

 

 

Jenny Marsh Director of Crime Victim Services Kansas Department of Corrections -

Listen To Jenny Marsh :

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Judge Welch Johnson County Courthouse Domestic Violence Docket -

Written Testimony only.

 

 

Kari Ann Rinker KSNOW-Lobbyist -

Listen to Kari Ann Rinker:

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Mark Gleason OPPOSED -

Listen to Mark Gleason

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Sandy Barnett KCSDV -

Listen To Sandy Barnett:

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Robert Stephan Chair Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board -

Listen To Bob Stephan:

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Judge Harold Flaigle Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board -

Listen To Judge Harold Flaigle:

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Michelle Blasdel- Survivor Written Testimony For Domestic Violence Tag Law proponent HB 2517 -

Written Testimony only.

 

Claudine Dombrowski- Survivor- Submitted Written Testimony For Domestic Violence Tag Law -

Written Testimony only.

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'If batterers presented as batterers, nobody would date them or marry them'

 

Domestic violence: Damas case shows how beloved friend can become ...
Naples Daily News - Naples,FL,USA
“If batterers presented as batterers, nobody would date them or marry them,” Oberhaus ... including figuring out who would get custody if there are kids and ...

• By ELYSA BATISTA
• Posted September 26, 2009 at 8:58 p.m.

Damas Family Homicide Investigation: Day 6; Sept. 24, 2009

Previous1 of 3Next

Damas Family Homicide Investigation: Day 5; Sept. 23, 2009

Previous1 of 10Next

Evidence photos: Guerline Damas

• 
• 
• 

Previous1 of 3Next

Documents

• Why does she stay

BOOKMARK DAMAS SECTION

FULL COVERAGE: Click here and bookmark this link for the latest and archived video, photos, stories and timeline about the Mesac Damas at naplesnews.com/damas

WHERE TO FIND HELP

Collier

■ Shelter for Abused Women and Children: www.naplesshelter.org or call (239) 775-3862. If you are in a domestic violence situation, call the shelter’s 24-hour crisis line (239) 775-1101.

Lee

■ Abuse Counseling and Treatment: www.actabuse.com or call (239) 939-2553. If you are in a domestic violence situation, call the shelter’s 24-hour crisis line (239) 939-3112.

NAPLES — It’s a very slow process.

That’s how Melissa Dias described how a woman goes from partner to domestic violence victim.

The process answers the question many Southwest Floridians asked as the news of the death of Guerline Damas and her five children spread and the family’s history of domestic violence came to light.

Mesac Damas, 33, is accused of recently killing his wife, Guerline Dieu Damas, 32, and their children Meshach “Zack” Damas, 9; Maven, 6; Marven, 5; Megan, 3, and Morgan, 19 months, by slitting their throats and stabbing them. Court records show there was prior abuse in the home.

So why did she stay?

The truth, experts and advocates agree, is not as simple as picking up your bags and walking out.

Women don’t go into relationships thinking they are going to be abused, said Linda Oberhaus, executive director of the Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Collier County.

“If batterers presented as batterers, nobody would date them or marry them,” Oberhaus said.

Both Dias and Oberhaus said that it’s only once trust is established -- between the couple -- that abusers begin to show signs of possible domestic violence.

“I think that’s important,” Oberhaus said. “If he abused her on the first date, she would not have dated him.”

With many victims of domestic violence, Dias said, they saw the first sign of abuse but didn’t recognize what it meant.

“They realize something is wrong but they don’t know what it is,” Dias said.

Dias is a member of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and has been affiliated for seven years with the Naples shelter. She now writes a blog about domestic violence.

Verbal abuse is usually the first step an aggressor takes against the victim, Oberhaus said.

“It happens so frequently, that they are really reduced to nothing,” Oberhaus said of the emotional abuse. “It’s almost like brainwashing.”

Simple attacks like “You’re dumb” or “You’re fat” to “Nobody will love you” and “You can’t make it without me” take an immense toll on a victim.

Systematic isolation usually follows.

“A stereotypical abuser won’t want her to have friends,” Dias said. “There is jealousy.”

Women are kept isolated even from family members, so if the woman interacts with them they would still be distant and quick to sever relations if the abuser demanded it.

“A woman slowly starts to lose her self-esteem and confidence,” she said. “Eventually physical abuse happens.”

It’s about power and control.

“Batterers choose who, when and where they batter,” Oberhaus said.

And to those who say, “Batterers can’t control themselves,” Oberhaus said that’s just not true.

“They are battering behind closed doors,” she said. “You don’t see a husband battering his wife out in public. He batters her privately. In a gut level, they know this is not OK … that this is not acceptable.”

Abuse has a significant psychological impact on a victim.

According to Oberhaus, research shows that as many 60 percent of battered women also reported depression.

In addition, battered women are at greater risk of suicide and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Even so, many victims marry their abusers, Dias said.

“You end up really feeling like you’re stuck in a situation,” Dias said. “You’ve married someone that is supposed to be with you forever.”

Love is one of the many reasons women stay in abusive relationships and it’s the hardest thing for many people to understand, Oberhaus said.

“You can’t leave out the fact that they probably do love their partner,” Oberhaus said.

Between having children in common and a long history, many women also believe that they can change the man.

And most don’t even acknowledge they’re being abused.

Because the abuser is always blaming the other person as the one at fault, Dias said, it creeps into a woman’s psyche.

“And eventually you believe it,” she said.

Domestic violence victims have to consider several issues before even attempting to reach out for help to leave a bad situation, including figuring out who would get custody if there are kids and determining if they could support their family if they leave.

“They’re afraid for their safety. They’re afraid for their children,” Oberhaus said. “They don’t want to be homeless and they need to have the ability to care for their kids.”

It’s that need to care for the kids that can both inspire or hold back a battered woman’s attempts to leave her abuser.

“In many relationships men are the breadwinners,” Oberhaus said. “They can easily say ‘You don’t have the resources’ and threaten to take the kids away. That is a real Catch-22.”

Kerrin Darkow, who works with the victim help line at the National Center for Victims of Crimes, said what caught her attention in the case of Guerline Damas was that she reached out for help several times.

“We do know that women in these situations try many different avenues to get help,” she said.

And for a victim of domestic violence, wanting to leave and being able to leave are two quite different things.

Fear and the fact the couple had five children between them could have contributed to her hesitance to leave.

“It’s a pipe dream to think that she could leave with her children and be fine,” said Darkow, who added that in many domestic violence cases, abusers use children as bargaining chips to get their victims to do what they want. “Leaving an abuser does not mean you are safe from an abuser.”

The time after a victim finally escapes the abuser is also the most dangerous time for them.

The best thing a friend or family member who realizes someone is in a domestic violence situation can do is call the local domestic violence hot line to create a safety plan, Oberhaus said.

“The reality is that a woman is most likely to be killed at the time that she leaves,” Oberhaus said. “And that’s a fact.”

Dias agreed.

“Men like to control you and scare you,” Dias said. “They will use whatever means to keep control.”

Dias said she found a new beginning when she connected with the Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Naples.

The shelter and others like it, she said, defy the myth that battered women’s shelters are cold, awful places.

“It’s just given me so much confidence -- confidence I never had in my life,” Dias said of the shelter and weekly support group she has attended for nearly seven years. “It’s more like a sisterhood ... It’s been a godsend for me.”

As for people asking, “Why does any woman stay?” Oberhaus said that it’s the wrong question to ask.

“When someone asks, ‘Why did she stay?’ -- that is victim-blaming,” Oberhaus said. “The question should be: ‘Why would a loving father and husband emotionally or physically batter his children or partner?’ ”

■■■■■

Editor’s note: Monday, the Daily News begins a series of profile stories about the Damas family victims.

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Who will hear your cries? Domestic Violence Sexual Assault

 

SUSAN MURPHY MILANO http://www.susanmurphymilano.com/

AUTHOR ~ ACTIVIST ~ SPEAKER ~ CONSULTANT

 

When you think you've run out of

options.......don't despair!

RELATIONSHIP RESPECT CHECKLIST

If you are in a relationship, you must be treated with respect, which means your boyfriend or partner:

• is willing to compromise
• lets you feel comfortable being yourself
• is able to admit to being wrong
• tries to resolve conflict by talking honestly
• respects your feelings, your opinions and your friends
• accepts you saying no to things you don't want to do (like sex)
• accepts you changing your mind
• respects your wishes if you want to end the relationship

 

 

When someone loves you; you feel valued, respected and free to be yourself. You shouldn't be made to feel intimidated or controlled.

Think about your relationship - do you feel respected?

excerpt from: Moving Out, Moving On
Susan Murphy Milano
Domestic Violence Expert and Strategist
Author-Advocate-Media Consultant
Email: contact@movingoutmovingon.com
Private Consultations
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Moving out, Moving on , is more then a simple workbook, but a true plan to take control of one’s life and face the future head on. This is not just another “divorce book” written by a so called “expert.”

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NEW BOOK BY SUSAN MURPHY MILANO

Coming soon!

“Time’s Up!”

How you can escape a violent relationship and get out with your life.

"When someone endures one of the most horrific experiences of their lives, Susan Murphy-Milano is there to guide them with the knowledge, expertise, and first hand experience of domestic violence to ensure their survival. This is a from a woman who knows--first-hand, the sheer terror that goes on behind the closed doors of Main Street, USA. Whether the violator is a man, a woman, or another family member, Time's Up, is no less than a survival manual for domestic victims everywhere. It should be a required read for law enforcement, courthouses, and anyone looking to make a difference, or quite frankly, survive. An utterly compelling read!”
~Stacy Dittrich, Author, Former Detective, and Law Enforcement Media Consultant as seen on CNN, Fox, and E! True Hollywood

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Living The Nightmare-Why are my children dead?

Living The Nightmare

SUSAN MURPHY MILANO'S JOURNAL

[blip.tv ?posts_id=2648076&dest=-1]

Amy Leichtenberg quietly approached the casino boat gamblers with fliers, hoping they may have seen her ex-husband, a known gambler. Three weeks earlier, he abducted the couple’s two young sons and by now all other leads had come up snake eyes. Then her phone rang.

An investigator on the case told her to drive to the McLean County Sheriff’s Department to discuss something new in the case.

Leichtenberg excitedly made the two-hour drive to the police station, allowing herself to daydream about her two boys—9-year-old Duncan and 7-year-old Jack—happily greeting her there.

Inside the station, she didn’t see her boys waiting for her. Instead, Beth Kimmerling, the county coroner, introduced herself.

"No!" Leichtenberg screamed, quickly realizing her hopeful daydream turned into her worst nightmare. "No! No! No!"

The coroner couldn’t even get the words out, telling Leichtenberg that Duncan and Jack—the joys of her life—were dead. And her ex-husband was dead, too, taking his own life after killing both his sons.

"Where are my babies?!" Leichtenberg remembers asking frantically through sobs. "Where are my babies?!" The coroner told her the boys’ bodies were with their father’s body in the back of the police station.

"I want my boys as far away from him as possible!" Leichtenberg remembers yelling, punching a desk and nearby concrete walls.

As the coroner left, Leichtenberg dissolved into a chair, crying, screaming and shaking. She felt numb. She felt empty. She felt like joining her sons in heaven. "I want to see my babies," she remembers telling authorities. No, they told her. Not yet. Not now. Not in their condition.
She begged them. They refused.

To read the entire story about Amy Leicchtenberg in the October issue of Chicago Parent click HERE.

Amy Leichtenberg was a guest on the Susan Murphy Milano show to listen to the interview it plays from this site automatically make sure the volume of your computer is turned on. Susan's show willresume again on Wednesday October 7, 2009 at 4:00 PM.

POSTED BY SUSAN MURPHY MILANO'S JOURNAL AT 02:13

LABELS: AMY LEICHTENBERG, BROKEN LEGAL SYSTEM, CHICAGO TRIBUNE,CHILD CUSTODY, CNN NEWS, JACK AND DUNCON CONNOLLY, MOTHERS IN COURT, WOMEN IN CRIME INK.

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Video Presenters at the Sixth Annual Battered Mothers Custody Conference: Albany NY 2009

Sixth Annual Battered Mothers Custody Conference:

http://bmcc6.blip.tv/

 

The Sixth Annual Battered Mother's Custody Conference: "Solutions"

Friday January 9th - Sunday 11th, 2009 Articles about the 2009 conference by professional journalists who were there:

Commentary womensforum.com By Garland WallerJanuary 13, 2009

The start of the New Year always fills me with hope, with plans for change, with determination. But for me, there is also an annual event that overshadows the hoopla and superficial goals. For me, the New Year heralds the Battered Mothers Custody Conference ... full article

This is Really Hard to Believe Opinion By Barry Nolan Thursday, 15 January 2009 09:14This is really hard to believe. I am sitting in a room filled with women who were beaten, and violated in terrible ways. The room is not in Bosnia, or some far flung third-world hell-hole. I am in a function room in a hotel in Albany at the Battered Mothers Custody Conference. ... full article

Presenters Schedule

BMCC VI Announcement and General InformationBrochure and Mail-In RegistrationOnline Registration 2009 Co-SponsorsSilent AuctionSupport the ConferenceAbout the Conference

Organizations and Support Resources

Legal Resources: Articles, Research,
Briefs, Case Law

Contribute a Panel to the "Children Taken By The Family Courts" Community Quilt

The Conference in PBS' 2005 Documentary

Film: Breaking the Silence, Children's StoriesFilm: Family Court Crisis

Testimonies filmed by Garland Waller at the 2008 conferen

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Just to Hurt Mum...

Just to Hurt Mum...

A father who received shared parenting of the children:
1. Left a 14yo and 9yo alone in the home to see his girlfriend regularly.
2. Threatened to deprive them of their mother, if they told.
3. Took all of the furniture out of the house, leaving them with a few clothes and blankets.
4. Is relying on depression as an excuse of his negligence.
In the article, it states:
"Duty solicitor Mark Dollimore said the man was suffering depression, had not felt able to look after his children, and wanted to co-operate as much as he could."
Then why did he go to the Family Court and battle it out for Shared Parenting?
Just to hurt mum
Why would he leave them in such poor conditions?
Just to hurt mum
If he could not have cared for them, why didn't he just phone the mother?
Oh.. that's right, he is busy hurting the mother.
Fact is that the Family Court has been and is continually used as a weapon against mothers resulting in the harm of children. 
The people who made the shared parenting laws are bitter angry fathers who wanted the legal power to hurt not only their ex wives, but all mothers through the children.  They see them as nothing more than a commodity or a tool to use and spout their hatred for all women. 
Through the same charm and wit they used to lure these women into destructive environments, they used to promote this bill. 
Hence every mother who goes through this system, is forced to endure the suffering this shared parenting mob inflicted. 
The question is not how much suffering every mother can endure knowing that her children are at risk or are being abused and neglected.  The question is now, what is the government going to do about it?  How long do they have to endure this genocide?  How many idiots are they going to listen to before we are heard?
No matter how much you try to bury the truth rather than act, it will not only shine through but be sure there will be justice.

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Parental Alienation Syndrome Misused in Child Custody Cases, say Domestic Violence Advocacy Groups

According to NNEDV, DV LEAP, SFV, and NCADV, victims of domestic violence face a surprisingly uphill battle in family court to win custody of and safety for their children. All too often, courts award custody and unsupervised visitation to parents found to have committed domestic abuse. Many courts handling custody cases do not understand the dynamics of domestic violence and fail to properly factor in the impact of abuse when considering the best interests of the child.

 

Leadership Council Issues Statement

Parental Alienation Syndrome Misused in Child Custody Cases, say Domestic Violence Advocacy Groups

The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), the Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP), Stop Family Violence, and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, four of the nation's leading domestic violence victim advocacy organizations, call on the media and the courts to rectify the misunderstanding and misuse of Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) in custody cases.

"Child custody cases are among the toughest cases courts have to handle. And in custody cases where domestic violence is involved, the judges have an even higher responsibility to ensure that the safety of family members is not dangerously impaired by misleading - and legally unjustifiable - ‘parental alienation syndrome' theories," said Sue Else, president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

"Parental Alienation Syndrome" is a claim that has been used to suggest that some parents try to undermine their children's relationship with the other parent, typically the noncustodial parent, by making false statements about that other parent, most often in the form of abuse allegations. In fact, actor Alec Baldwin made that claim about his own child custody case in a recent interview with Diane Sawyer.

"PAS is being used by some abusers as a tactic to demonize parents' attempts to protect their children from abuse, denying victims of domestic violence justice in the courts. The fact that some parents behave badly in ordinary cases is no reason to ignore real abuse when it is presented to the court," also stated Else.

Joan Meier, DV LEAP's Executive Director, said, "PAS was invented to defeat child abuse claims - and it has been remarkably successful in misleading family courts into believing that women who are sincerely trying to protect their children and themselves from abuse, are just seeking to end the children's relationship with their noncustodial father."

According to NNEDV, DV LEAP, SFV, and NCADV, victims of domestic violence face a surprisingly uphill battle in family court to win custody of and safety for their children. All too often, courts award custody and unsupervised visitation to parents found to have committed domestic abuse. Many courts handling custody cases do not understand the dynamics of domestic violence and fail to properly factor in the impact of abuse when considering the best interests of the child.

"The most important factor judges should be weighing in making custody decisions is the safety of the mother and children, and the introduction of PAS overshadows this critical need for safety," said Rita Smith, Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Meier states that research has shown that children become "alienated" from a parent for a variety of valid reasons, most often resulting from the parent's own negative behavior and relationship with that child.

"The proponents of ‘parental alienation syndrome' are purveying invalid junk science is not even legally admissible. PAS has been emphatically rejected by the Presidential Task Force of the American Psychological Association and by the National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges. Leading researchers in the field of custody have agreed that PAS has no scientific validity and the only courts to address the issue have found it inadmissible," said Meier.

"With the increased media attention surrounding the release of Alec Baldwin's book, it is important to let the public know that victims of domestic violence are being silenced through the use of ‘parental alienation syndrome.' We cannot afford to consign thousands of children to unsafe custody or visitation with abusive parents because family courts have come to believe that abuse allegations mean nothing more than a campaign of alienation," said Else.

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