Jan

Parental Kidnapping

In this episode of DSR with Steve Peck, our topic is Parental Kidnapping, and our guest is Maureen Dabbagh, a Virginia Supreme Court Family Mediator specializing in cross-border child custody disputes.

Maureen has experienced Parental Kidnapping firsthand. Her three-year-old daughter was abducted from the United States and taken to the Middle East by her Syrian ex-husband. Maureen and her daughter had no communication for 17 years.

The reality of family abduction is that it is a form of child endangerment. Children abducted by family members are often forced into the nomadic, unstable lifestyle of a fugitive: They are taught to hide their real identities under a false name and to avoid and distrust law enforcement and authority figures.

Maureen is the author of “Parental Kidnapping in America: An Historical & Cultural Analysis.” Through her books, practice, and public appearances, she hopes to educate those experiencing or fearing a family abduction. You can learn more about Maureen Dabbagh on her Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/maureen.dabbagh.