The Memo states that some mothers have called what their batterer is doing "parental alienation syndrome [PAS]." PAS has fallen into disfavor among a large segment of the APA and the ABA Family Law Section, largely due to discrediting of the work of Dr. Richard Gardener, who coined the term. Thus, according to the memo, the label can be turned against a custodial parent using it.

The Leadership Council on Child Abuse and Interpersonal Violence has promoted a new concept to distinguish mother's protective actions from what abusers do. It is called Domestic Violence by Proxy. You can download a 2 page memo on it from their web site at http://www.leadershipcouncil.org/1/pas/DVP.html The tiny url is http://tinyurl.com/y8j9uxt

In reality, the memo says, what these women are describing from their ex-partners is better termed Domestic Violence by Proxy (DV by Proxy), a term first used by Alina Patterson, author of Health and Healing. DV by Proxy refers to a pattern of behavior which is a parent with a history of using domestic violence or intimidation, uses a child as a substitute when he no longer has access to his former partner. Calling this behavior “parental alienation” is not strong enough to convey the criminal pattern of terroristic behaviors employed by batterers.

Many useful links are found with the memo.

This article was called to my attention by Joan Zorza, JD, the founding editor of the Domestic Violence Report and Sexual Assault Report. Zorza was a 10-year board member of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence; Liaison, American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence; Former Senior Attorney, National Battered Women's Law Project of the National Center on Women and Family Law. She no longer represents clients. Thank you Joan for the heads up.

There are many agencies available to help women and their families to escape and/or to prevent family violence. See, for example:

Domestic violence resources ·

New Visions: Alliance to End Violence in Asian/Asian American Communities Tel. 734-615-2106 Email newvisions@umich.edu

Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence

Tel. 415-954-9988, ext. 315 Email: apidvinstitute@apiahf.org

Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project

Michigan Battered Women's Clemency Project

Email: Jacobsen@umich.edu

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

Intimate Partner Violence Fact Sheet

National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

"Full Report of the Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences of Violence Against Women"

A collection of news articles concerning domestic violence and sexual violence is found here on the website of the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence

If you need crisis help:

Michigan Asian Indian Family Services

24-hour line: 888-664-8624

Help Against Violent Encounters Now (HAVEN)

24-hour line: 248-334-1274

Domestic Violence Project/SAFE House

24-hour line: 734-995-5444

Detroit Police Department Rape Counseling Center and Domestic Violence

24-hour lines: 313-833-1660 or 313-833-9813

Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Domestic violence service providers in Michigan

To contact Jeanne Hannah with your questions or to view her Family Law website, click here.