FW: LATEST REPORT ON PAS: A RULING BY AN AUSTRALIAN FAMILY COURT REFUSES RECOGNITION: PAS IS REAL STOP BEING BLIND

[Marius Janse van Rensburg]

HI ALL   F4J is making significant progress with the FAMILY ADVOCATES OFFICE. Our recent meeting with the NATIONAL PRINCIPAL FA's and their chief ADV SEABI, has resulted in regional meetings , and proposed quarterly dialogues. The KZN branch has a tentative follow up meeting with ADV O GORMAN, scheduled for 21 April 2008   Adv Claasen from P.E has been entrusted with setting up a user friendly web site for parents who will be using the FA, and F4J  will assist wherever possible We are hoping to make progress with STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES for uniform service and protocols to be followed.   Incidentally it was brought to my attention that F4J SA actually has over 30 000 SUPPORTERS. Visit our website at: www.f4j.co.za www.fathers-4-justice.co.za We do need to harnass the energies and efforts of theses supporters, so as to create the necessary momentum for POWERFUL reform, and to get supporters to actually put their hands into their pockets and make a donation to strengthen, F4J.   The article below [thanks Jeremy-F4J CANADA] is typical of the onslaught we as non custodial parents face. PAS is well documented by researchers, adult survivors, and recognized by most professionals. Its ridiculous that PROFESSIONAL BODIES refuse official recognition, whilst in private they shake their heads in disgust, and claim to protect a child's best interests.   Who is to blame....my feel is its us!!! We are not active enough We take the help we want and run, and then complain when our access and parental rights are not honored Look at the  feminist movements....they never give up 16 days of activism POWA writers competition...etc etc   They are strong and in large numbers...men are deliberately tarred with the same brush F4J condemns violence in any form and against any party...NO EXCUSES But .....if the truth is told woman are just as violent [no excusing woman abuse] Ever heard of the SCUM MANIFESTO [article at the bottom]   “[Males should] “...go off to the nearest friendly suicide center where they will be quickly and painlessly gassed to death.” Valerie Solanas, Author of the SCUM Manifesto (SCUM=Society for Cutting Up Men)   And men are just as abused....difference : we shut up and are afraid /ashamed to speak up At the end your children are the ones damaged WE ARE A NON SEXIST CHILDRENS ACTIVIST GROUP RECOGNISING GENDER INEQUALITY IN FAMILY LAW...GET ACTIVE IN F4J   We have many many female supporters, who admire and encourage our commitment to our children And who themselves are sometimes victims of domestic violence WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO PRESSURISE BROTHERS WHO ARE COMMITTING THESE CRIMES OR SUPPORTING MALE VIVTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAN WE PRESSURISE GUYS WHO ARE DELIBERATELY AND WITHOUT VALID REASON NOT FULLFILLING FAIR PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY ...MEN...we are proud DADS and  we need to stop the current misandry prevalent in society The change starts with you   The article below is the latest report on PAS   No such thing as Parental Alienation? Not accepted? Well no.... Says Australian Board of Psychologists   << "Child custody determinations in scores of Family Court decisions could be challenged following a ruling debunking parental alienation syndrome, a controversial diagnosis of the effects on a child when one parent denigrates the other">>     Psychologists Union Attack Parental Alienation (Syndrome) (PAS)     Message from an Australian Activist   "Anything to maintain the cookie-cutter-one-size-fits-all preference for maternal custody and father exclusion, to the detriment of children"  Quote: The Psychologists Board of Queensland last month disciplined prominent Brisbane clinical psychologist William Wrigley, saying he had acted unprofessionally in giving evidence about parental alienation syndrome to the court. An investigation found that Dr Wrigley's evidence three years ago, which had led to a mother losing custody of her two children, constituted "professional conduct that demonstrates incompetence or a lack of adequate knowledge, skill, judgment or care". Consider carefully before you use the term PAS in an Australian family law court; especially using the word "syndrome". Better perhaps to talk about "brainwashing", "extreme alignment" or just "parental alienation". Quote: The complaint was lodged by the Brisbane mother who lost custody of her two children in 2005 when Family Court judge Neil Buckley determined, acknowledging the evidence of Dr Wrigley, that she had affected the children with the syndrome. Something for fathers to consider: Taking action, and following it through, as this mother did, often achieves more than simply complaining to friends in forums. Sometimes we have to make the effort to work through the process and paperwork; rather than throwing our hands in the air and saying things like "it's all too much" or "it's not my thing". Tom Knoll ------------------------------------------------------- The Australian Ruling debunks custody diagnosis By Tony Koch  7 April 2008 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23495760-2702,00.html Child custody determinations in scores of Family Court decisions could be challenged following a ruling debunking parental alienation syndrome, a controversial diagnosis of the effects on a child when one parent denigrates the other. The Psychologists Board of Queensland last month disciplined prominent Brisbane clinical psychologist William Wrigley, saying he had acted unprofessionally in giving evidence about parental alienation syndrome to the court. An investigation found that Dr Wrigley's evidence three years ago, which had led to a mother losing custody of her two children, constituted "professional conduct that demonstrates incompetence or a lack of adequate knowledge, skill, judgment or care". The Australian understands that Dr Wrigley has identified the syndrome as a factor in other cases to the Family Court. So have psychologists and psychiatrists throughout Australia. The syndrome was diagnosed in 1985 by US clinical psychiatrist Richard Gardner, an advocate of a father's right to custody, even in cases where he had been accused of abuse. He argued that some parents who criticise other parents or step-parents in front of children were guilty of psychological abuse. Dr Gardner's theories remain highly controversial among psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists, who claim they are simplistic or erroneous. The complaint was lodged by the Brisbane mother who lost custody of her two children in 2005 when Family Court judge Neil Buckley determined, acknowledging the evidence of Dr Wrigley, that she had affected the children with the syndrome. Justice Buckley said Dr Wrigley's reports provided a "comprehensive and balanced assessment" of all relevant issues. "It has to be said that in terms of objectivity, professionalism, fairness and balance, his reports are in stark contrast to those provided by (other professionals)," he said. The board advised Dr Wrigley on March 3 of its unanimous decision that he had "acted in a way that constituted unsatisfactory conduct" for "referring to an unrecognised syndrome in his reports". "It was inappropriate for the registrant (Dr Wrigley) to either diagnose the children or state there was a likelihood the children could develop parental alienation syndrome, as it is not a recognised syndrome," it said. "To diagnose a patient as suffering from or demonstrating a potential to develop an unrecognised syndrome is contrary to the code of ethics." However, the board advised that details of the disciplinary action not be recorded on the public register because it was "not within the public interest". The board told The Australian it was precluded by law from commenting on the disciplinary action taken against Dr Wrigley. Family Court Chief Justice Diana Bryant last year posted on the family law court website a "fact sheet" about the syndrome, which said the malady was used in evidence, but warned that it was not accepted as "a psychiatric disease". Chief Justice Bryant's notice cited several cases "where PAS has been rejected or not accepted as a concept". The cited cases, with names excluded, included the controversial matter for which Dr Wrigley was disciplined by the psychologists board.   News from Edmonton's Grant Brown and published in the Western Standard Shotgun Blog: http://westernstandard.blogs.com/shotgun/2008/04/when-is-sexual.html   Friday, April 04, 2008 When is sexual assault not sexual assault? Buried deep on page B16 of the Edmonton Journal of April 4, 2008: Wife sentenced for slicing man's penis, butt: Convinced he was having an affair, Calgary woman attacked husband during sex In the midst of lovemaking, Abigail London-Fife pulled out a knife she had hidden under the bed and slashed her husband's penis and buttocks. She planned the attack by bringing the weapons [two knives] to bed, and carried it out at the most opportune time, the prosecutor said. "He was in a vulnerable position and she took advantage of it." The woman suspected her husband of cheating, court heard Thursday, when she was handed a 12-month conditional sentence, with house arrest for the first six months. Provincial Court Judge Judith Shriar and Crown prosecutor Deven Singhal both said the woman should be treated in the same manner as a man who assaulted his wife.... ------------------------------- Comment:  Judge Judith Shriar must be joking. When a man does something equivalent to this to his partner, he is more likely to be charged with attempted first-degree murder, plea bargained down to aggravated sexual assault causing bodily harm, and sentenced to 5 years in jail. He would be automatically added to the sex offender registry, and forced to relinquish a DNA sample.  This farcical sentence is no deterent at all. Posted by Grant Brown on April 4, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink   The Article from Page B16 in the Calgary Herald   Angry woman slashes husband's genitals Daryl Slade, Calgary Herald Published: Friday, April 04, 2008 http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=69362fc0-92ae-440a-b56d-13c5e10f8e66&k=66 When Abigail London-Fife suspected her husband of infidelity, she pulled out a knife she had hidden under the bed and slashed his genitals and buttocks. In a case that draws comparisons to Lorena Bobbit, who infamously severed her husband's penis with a kitchen knife in 1993, London-Fife suspected her husband was cheating on her and decided she was going to make him pay on Aug. 24, 2007. On Thursday, she was handed a 12-month conditional jail sentence with house arrest for the first six months for the attack on Leonard Fife. Provincial court Judge Judith Shriar and Crown prosecutor Deven Singhal expressed concern the woman should be treated in the same manner as a man who similarly assaulted his wife. She handed down her sentence after assurances from defence lawyer Patrick Lannan that that was his position, too. "Regardless of what's going on in the home and background, you do not take two knives to the bedroom and stab your husband in the penis and buttocks," Shriar said. "You knock a pot off the stove." London-Fife, 35, pleaded guilty Jan. 16 to assault causing bodily harm to Fife. Singhal previously told court that London-Fife believed her husband was cheating after she intercepted a series of phone calls. He said she carried out the attack at night during an amorous fling. "It was a trust position," he said. "He was in a vulnerable position and she took advantage of it." Singhal noted the victim sustained a 2.5-centimetre laceration to the shaft of his penis, a 15-centimetre laceration to his left buttock, a puncture wound inside his right thigh, a laceration to his scrotum, a 10-centimetre laceration to the back of his shoulder and 7.5-centimetre lacerations to both hands. Lannan said the incident was out of character for his client. "This is a one-off, not planned," he said. "This was a sudden outburst of rage, perpetuated by Mr. Fife's infidelity or thoughts of infidelity. "It was inappropriate to use a weapon. It was not thought out." He said his client has already been participating in anger management, domestic violence and family violence classes because of the assault. dsl...@theherald.canwest.com © The Calgary Herald 2008

 

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