Creating a Register for Perpetrators of Parental Alienation.

Parental alienation is a deeply troubling issue that can profoundly impact children and families.

It occurs when one parent actively tries to damage the relationship between their child and the other parent.

Such behaviour can lead to significant emotional and psychological harm for the child involved.

Efforts to protect children and promote healthy parenting practices have led to our proposal of a register for alienating parents—similar to sex offender registries.

This article discusses the need for such a registry, how it can be implemented by government entities and advocacy groups like People Against Parental Alienation (PAPA), and the transformative benefits it could provide.

If you're an alienated parent and need help with your situation then please join PAPA today.

At PAPA we have several free to use support spaces, as well as additional resources available to our Plus members, such as courses, PAPA AI and 1-2-1 help

Understanding Parental Alienation

Parental alienation can show up in various ways, ranging from mild manipulation to outright campaigns against the other parent.

This issue is not merely a legal concern; it is fundamentally about the emotional well-being of children caught in the middle of parental conflict.

Research indicates that parental alienation can contribute to long-term psychological distress in children.

For instance, studies have shown that children experiencing alienation are 60% more likely to face challenges in future relationships.

These tactics not only disrupt family structures but can also lead to estrangement between the child and the alienated parent.

With greater awareness of parental alienation's effects, PAPA's proposal of developing a registry for alienating parents is gaining momentum.

The Case for a Parental Alienation Registry

A parental alienation registry, akin to a sex offender registry, could fulfil several vital functions.

Public Awareness

First and foremost, it would raise public awareness about the gravity of parental alienation.

This concept is often overlooked or undervalued in both legal and social settings.

A dedicated registry would serve as an educational tool, helping the public recognise the tactics and signs of parental alienation.

For instance, knowing that over 30% of divorces involve some aspect of alienation can encourage more proactive conversations around parenting.

Accountability

A registry would also foster greater accountability among parents.

Awareness of the potential for public registration might deter some from engaging in alienating behaviours.

This greater accountability could pave the way for more cooperative co-parenting, emphasising the child's well-being.

Data Collection

Additionally, a parental alienation registry would facilitate better data collection and research.

By logging cases of parental alienation, researchers could gain a clearer understanding of its prevalence.

For example, statistics show that parental alienation affects approximately 11% of children in the U.S.

This data could inform policies and strategies designed to combat parental alienation effectively.

Implementing the Registry Through Government Action

Legislative Framework

Creating a registry for alienating parents requires a solid legislative framework.

Lawmakers must draft proposals that outline specific criteria defining parental alienation and the process for registering individuals.

Governments, especially those with high instances of parental alienation, should spearhead this initiative.

Advocacy groups like PAPA can provide evidence and expert testimonies to support this legislative push.

Legal Definitions

Establishing clear legal definitions for parental alienation is essential.

This includes identifying behaviours that classify a parent as an alienator.

For example, behaviours such as disparaging the other parent to the child, creating obstacles to visitation, and discouraging contact with the other parent should all be included.

Clear definitions will help ensure fair implementation.

Enforcement Mechanisms

To make the registry effective, there must be enforceable mechanisms.

This could involve mandatory reporting from legal professionals or social workers who encounter cases of parental alienation.

Additionally, creating protocols to support alleged alienators—like requiring counselling or parenting classes—would help safeguard children while offering parents guidance.

PAPA's Role in Implementation

People Against Parental Alienation (PAPA) is an influential advocacy group that can significantly contribute to establishing a parental alienation registry.

Here’s how PAPA can assist in this initiative.

Awareness Campaigns

PAPA will continue to launch awareness campaigns like our 'Protect and Serve' campaign, to educate the public, legislators, and legal professionals about recognising and addressing parental alienation.

Sharing real-life stories from affected families and presenting data about its impact can strengthen the case for the registry.

Collaboration with Experts

Collaborating with experts is another way PAPA can help.

By working with experts such as child psychologists, we can ensure that proposed definitions and enforcement mechanisms are effective and sensitive to children's and families' needs.

Community Engagement

Community engagement—through workshops and seminars—can also help foster dialogue about parental alienation and the potential benefits of a registry.

Involving the community allows the organisation to humanise the issue and create empathy among the public and policymakers.

Benefits of Establishing a Registry for Alienating Parents

Creating a register for alienating parents would result in many advantages that extend from enhancing child welfare to redefining societal views on parenting responsibilities.

Enhanced Child Protection

The most critical benefit is improved protection for children.

By holding alienating parents accountable, we can help shield children from emotional manipulation and distress.

Studies demonstrate that children with supportive parental relationships are 80% more likely to thrive emotionally.

Supporting healthy co-parenting can lead to stronger emotional development and bond between children and their non-alienating parent.

Support for Alienators

Interestingly, this registry could also serve as a support mechanism for parents struggling with alienating behaviours.

By providing access to counselling and educational resources, parents could learn to co-parent more effectively for their children’s sake.

Such guidance can foster understanding and improved dynamics within families.

Societal Change in Values

Moreover, a parental alienation registry could trigger a cultural shift in how families navigate post-divorce interactions.

By prioritising children's health and well-being over parental conflict, society can move toward more constructive parenting methods.

Legal and Social Framework Improvement

The introduction of such a registry could compel legal systems to better address parental alienation.

Discussing the rights and responsibilities of parents in post-divorce scenarios can lead to improved legal frameworks and parenting standards.

Taking Action for a Brighter Future

The establishment of a parental alienation registry presents a modern solution to a challenging issue affecting children.

By creating a formal mechanism for accountability and education, we can help reduce the effects of parental alienation and necessitate healthier family dynamics.

Whether through government action or grassroots efforts by organisations like PAPA, society can create lasting improvements for children and families.

Recognising the impact of parental alienation and taking practical steps to protect our children can pave the way for a brighter future for the generations to come.

In need of help or support?

If you are an alienated parent reading this article and feel you are in need of help and support then please make sure to join PAPA today by signing up here on our website.

This will give you access to our community support forum as well as our Resource Centre, which includes downloadable guides and on-demand courses to help through the process of being alienated and regaining contact with your children.

We also have our Facebook support group that you can join here.

Our Facebook support group has several dedicated chat rooms where you can get immediate support.

If you are a member of PAPA you can also send us a message here on the website and we will try to get back to you as soon as possible but please bear in mind, we have hundreds of messages weekly so it may take us a while to get back to you.

We are currently prioritising PAPA Plus members due to high demand.

Regardless of circumstance you are not alone and at PAPA we are here to support you.

Become a PAPA Ambassador

If you like our resources, articles and support networks and agree with what we stand for then why not get involved and help us push PAPA further by joining our Ambassador Program?

We would love for you to join us and help spread awareness for parental alienation and all of the dynamics involved so that we can continue to help parents and children towards a better future.

Our Ambassador Program allows you to grow your involvement with the cause by earning points on your membership.

To earn points we have created rewards for actions such as completing one of our courses, booking a case review, or ordering supply.

We will be adding new rewards and actions to our Ambassador Program as we continue to grow our awareness efforts.

We want our members to feel rewarded for their support as we continue to look for new ways to improve the lives of those impacted by parental alienation.

You can also become a PAPA Plus member, which will give you exclusive access to even more help and resources.

Each PAPA Plus membership makes a huge difference to the cause as it really helps us to improve our services and our awareness campaigns.

Proceeds from memberships and supply allow us to push the cause much further towards raising awareness and improving our services and resources so that we can continue to help more and more parents and children.

Thank you for reading and for your continued support of PAPA and our mission to end parental alienation.