Parental Abduction a Criminal Offense

August 27, 2009

Though the state or federal justice system may fail parents who believe that they deserve custody of their children, it is never acceptable to kidnap a child from its custodial parent. Many believe that they may be acting in the best interest of their child, but it is important to understand that parental abduction is a criminal offense- not a civil one, as many would believe.

Child psychologists have argued that parental abduction is not a healthy decision for the child and that many parents kidnap their children as a method of angering the custodial parent- using the child as a weapon.

Children who have been abducted by their parents are often forced to change their appearance by dying their hair, may be taken out of school and may even be relocated to another country. They are at great risk for many psychological disorders, such as Reactive Attachment Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder- all results of living as a fugitive.

Parents are urged to work with the legal system and to not make any drastic moves to gain custody of their children.