Our Mission

(We believe) Every child has the right to:

• Be and feel physically, emotionally, and mentally safe
• Be heard by the legal system, the court, child protective services, the police, and responsible adults (without being accused of lying or being coerced)
• Be protected by the legal system
• Have their best interests put first
• The opportunity to have a physically and emotionally healthy childhood

A Child’s Rights

The United States affords certain rights to all individuals regardless of race, gender, or religion. But, despite those rights, children are being used as pawns, are suffering, and are dying on a daily basis at the hands of one of their parents or guardians, ignored and betrayed by a legal and child protective system that thinks all parents are inherently good and that children must have two parents to be raised healthy and happy, even if one of those parents is dangerous, has a history of abuse, or shows little concern for the child. Children have few real rights in our country; their rights are often superseded by the adults’ rights, especially in custody situations.

We are parents dedicated to giving a voice to the voiceless, to the most innocent of victims: The children in our country.

Our laws put a strong emphasis on the physical safety of our children. But, we as parents believe that the same emphasis must also be put on the emotional and mental safety of our children. Courts and child protective services will often only take action against a parent when physical evidence is involved, despite witnesses and other evidence that points to abusive, neglectful, or inappropriate behavior on the part of the parent against the child or the children.

The victims, in many cases a parent and their child or children, are often viewed as the perpetrator rather than what they are: Victims. The so-called “protective parent” is often accused of raising issues of concern or abuse as a ploy to gain a favorable outcome in a custody dispute. Unfortunately, that assumption can prove extremely dangerous, leaving vulnerable children in harm’s way.

The often-instant dismissal of concerns is unacceptable when children’s lives and futures are at stake. While children are admittedly resilient, no child should have to suffer trauma and go into therapy at an early age because no one will listen to the concerns of parents or other concerned parties.

At the same time, we recognize that some people will say anything – including lying about suspected abuse – to get back at an ex-partner during a custody dispute. Instead of instantly ignoring all concerns because of the few bad apples, we believe it is necessary to find away to weed out the liars and those who are simply trying to manipulate the system. Those found to be lying and manipulating the system must somehow face consequences so those of us who are honest are not forced to fight a constant, uphill battle to be heard and to be taken seriously. Our children’s lives depend on it.

We hope to:

Spread the word about the reality of the legal system as it pertains to custody and how countless innocent children are being put in harm’s way – physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Get people involved. Even those who are not parents are indirectly affected by the abuse our children suffer at the hands of parents and the legal system.

Encourage people to vote. The judges sitting on the family court benches – those who have the final say over innocent children’s lives – are elected officials, and only we as citizens have the ability to change the broken system and to save children by using our votes.

Change the laws. Our children must be protected. For example, to say that exposing a child to pornography is acceptable, but exposing a child to child pornography is criminal makes little sense. Exposing any child to such inappropriate material, we believe, should be considered when determining the fitness of a parent.

Make changes within the system. Are the judges sitting on family court benches educationally qualified to determine whether an individual is psychologically fit to parent? Are court-appointed psychologists and judges balanced and fair to everyone involved? Do they have the best interests of the child as the foremost priority, or do they believe that a child must have constant interaction with a parent, even if that parent poses a physical, mental, or emotional threat to the child?  Our system demands and promises an objective party to make decisions, yet judges have been called “pro-father” or “pro-mother,” not “pro-child.”

Demand changes in supervised visitation. Supervised visitation has yet to really come under scrutiny, yet horror stories abound. In a local community, supervisors at a visitation center must only have a high school diploma and an understanding of the complex family dynamic to earn a job supervising children, who are visiting unstable and often dangerous parents.

Give women the courage to take a stand. Many mothers who finally find the courage to take their children and leave an abusive partner often find that they continue to be victimized by the system. As a result, many are afraid to voice their concerns for fear of losing their children or for being blamed themselves. Women and children should never be afraid to tell the authorities – whether the police, the court, or child protective services – the truth when they suspect abuse by another parent.

Help women gain the strength and the evidence they need to protect their children and themselves – physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Provide a library of resources to help women and children maneuver through the legal system, to rebuild their lives, and to protect themselves and their children.

Give a voice to the voiceless.