In representing both fathers and mothers in family law cases, charges of child abuse can often present themselves. Child abuse is not uncommon in the United States. The third leading cause of death for children ages 5-14 is homicide. Because the victims are so innocent and the perpetrators are almost always a caregiver, the crime deserves harsh punishment. It is crucial in a family law case for parents to immediately report any child abuse to the authorities so that this extraordinarily evil act can be dealt with to the full extent possible.
Because the crime is so severe, false charges of child abuse are also an especially evil act. When the police, courts and CPS get involved in a case because a parent wants to use them as a tool to avenge themselves against another parent, it wastes precious time. Real victims of abuse are neglected while the individual fabricating these allegations goes on with their life. It is a level of selfishness that is hard for many of us to imagine, but it does happen.
Parental Alienation Syndrome is a controversial theory which holds that one parent, termed the “alienating” parent, effectively brainwashes the children against the other parent. Regardless of whether the American Psychological Association regards the research as scientific or not, the concept appears by many people to absolutely real. If you hear children saying things that only adults would say, or responding inappropriately to discipline, there may be a parent using the child selfishly to obtain the upper hand in a divorce. If your child says “you always are putting me down” when you tell him to put away his toys, this may be the result of one parent disparaging another.
