Parent Alienation Syndrome

During my practice as a family lawyer, I had to deal with at least 4 cases of Parental Alienation Syndrome. I don’t know what gets into people to behave so badly and use their children as pawns against the other spouse. It is so destructive, not only harming the parent who has been alienated, but also the children, who have to bear the loss of a relationship with their parent and carry the scars for the rest of their life.  It causes such sadness.

I think the Courts should come down much harder on the parent at fault.

Thanks SO much for this wonderful recognition and honor.  It means so much to me that this helps get the word out in understanding and recognizing PAS for exactly what it is, and forwarding the courts in supporting victims of it – especially the children but also the target parents and dragged through more agony than most people could ever imagine.

One message is VERY important within this issue:  There are MANY kinds of abuse and victims will tell you the the deepest scars are suffered from emotional and verbal abuse over long periods of time, this more so than physical abuse.  Our society tends to consider a situation abusive only when there is physical or sexual harm, while even in cases when those forms of abuse are not present, children are being deeply abused in ways that will affect them for life.  I pray that the courts and counseling professionals get educated on this and also that the abusive parent is often quite charming and professional in other ways making the diagnosis difficult yet not impossible.

I think I should read it because most of our actors and actresses made divorce just like a game. They get into it and then leave whenever they want. I don’t know if you agree with me but that is what I observe. Thanks for sharing this hq news. :)

Yes domestic abuse does include mental abuse.  Abusers grow up in emotionally abusive families and most of them don’t even know or admit they are abusive, they abuse their children not just during divorce but just in general, and the pattern just keeps going.  Usually when people grow up with alcoholics, the admit they are one too, but the  denial and the lying continue all their lives.  They teach their children denial and lying, not  on purpose, they just don’t know any better because of their upbringing.  There are some who are aware enough to get help but most don’t.  I live with someone who was raised by an alcoholic parent, and the constant denial and lying is horrible.  Counseling doesn’t work because when asked a question, they just deny they are the problem and they just lie so it never stops unfortunately.

This should be looked for more often in custody disputes.

I think it’s not healthy for kids to watch their parents always arguing/fighting/not effectionate maybe its less trauma if they just get divorced and moving on with their life.

Never heard PAS but it true .. 

The court system sees black and blues, not emotional scares. They do not protect the children from the emotional abuse inflicted by a parent.
If you said to the court, my ex is brainwashing my children, they would laugh you out of court. 
Our system does not look at the whole picture, only who shouts the loudest. Even when someone is abusing the system with ongoing litigation, that hurts everyone.