What is Parental Alienation?
When we were first told about COVID, back in early 2020 little did we know it would affect each and every one of us on this earth in some form or another.
At the time I remember reading a headline about the spread of the virus being upgraded from an epidemic to a pandemic, the word was both known, yet vaguely appreciated by me. In its most basic form, it means an epidemic that spreads to more than one continent.
We are all sick of the word now, but how many of us know of other true pandemic’s that continue to rage across the world? One that falls close to my heart and is barely ever reported on in that of parental alienation.
Known as a pathological phenomenon, parental alienation is when a child is convinced by one of their parents that her or his other parent is undeserving or treacherous. By using a variety of tactics and manoeuvres, the offending parent convinces the child of their superiority and suitability at the expense of the others. Successful manipulation leads to an entrenched perception, one that can be incredibly damaging to both alienated parent and child alike.
Parental alienation is complicated.
How do you prove it?
Are we sure the parent at the receiving end of the judgement isn’t in fact what they are being suspected of?
The nuance involved in such diagnosis has made it a prickly issue across the world, but no less important.
Some estimates out of the US have shown extraordinary figures, with one study estimating roughly 22 million adults being targets of parental alienation, that’s 7% of the population! This pandemic has been under-appreciated and underreported for some time.
At no other time is this behaviour more potent and widespread than during separation and/or divorce proceedings. In such a vulnerable time, parents have quite a lot to win and lose, leading to heightened emotions that can lead to terrible outcomes. Individuals should be hyper-aware of these possibilities for manipulation and put steps in place to guard against any adverse behaviour. Therefore it is so important to seek professional assistance in any formal separation proceedings.
At Simple Separation, we recognise the important work undertaken by the Eeny Meeny Miney Mo Foundation The site has a host of resources to help parents and grandparents.
Simple Separation is a complete Mediation and Legal information service that assists couples to legally finalise their separation from start to finish online. All legal services are provided by our preferred panel of the best independent Family Lawyers, Estate Planning Lawyers and Conveyancers who share the same philosophy - to separate simply, fairly and respectfully.