Parental Alienation Prevention Week

WHEREAS, alienating behaviors are often found in high conflict divorce and custody situations; and

WHEREAS, speaking negatively about a parent to or in front of a child; interfering with communication and visitation; and discussing inappropriate information with a child, such as details of the marriage, court proceedings or financial matters, are behaviors that can not only destroy the bond between a loving parent and child, but can cause a child mental and emotional harm; and

WHEREAS, parental alienation takes advantage of the impressionable and dependant nature of children; and

WHEREAS, parental alienation deprives children of their right to love and be loved by both parents; and

WHEREAS, parental alienation is considered harmful to children, as the alienating tactics are confusing, frightening and rob children of their sense of security; and

WHEREAS, professionals agree that the problem of parental alienation is damaging to children and can affect them into adulthood, with tragic consequences; and

WHEREAS, there are more than 2.4 million divorced North Americans, and in 2009 there were more than 20,000 divorced Alabamians, including the parents of more than one million children under the age of eighteen, with nearly as many unmarried couples with children separating; and

WHEREAS, with awareness comes education and understanding, and the power to stop the abuse of innocent children caught in the crossfire of the people they love:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim April 24 through April 30, 2011, as

Parental Alienation Prevention Week

and April 25, 2011, as

Parental Alienation Awareness Day

in the State of Alabama.

Given Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the Office of the Governor at the State Capitol in the City of Montgomery on the 5th day of April 2011.

 

      

Governor Robert Bentley