How it works
Pipeline
ACCUSATIONS BEGIN
Often, the abuser begins the cycle by accusing the safe parent of “enmeshment” or “gatekeeping.” Enmeshment refers to blurred or unclear boundaries between family members, which can vary based on cultural norms. Gatekeeping is similarly used as a counterclaim against the safe parent, specifically when they are trying to protect and/or distance their children from the abuser. Allegations of alienation, enmeshment, and gatekeeping are all indicators of post-separation abuse, and should be regarded as red flags by family court professionals.
Experts FUEL THE FIRE
Unfortunately, these counterclaims continue to sway professionals in our court system, to the detriment of both children and their preferred parents. When court professionals are receptive to (or financially incentivized by) the pseudoscience of PAS, an abuser’s initial claim of alienation can be wielded as a legal strategy. So-called “alienation experts” and “alienation professionals” circulate the misinformation of PAS, which leads courts to prioritize parents’ rights over the rights of children. The actions of these “professionals” fuel this lucrative cottage industry, which pads their own wallets and separates children from safe and supportive adults.
Reunification ordered
After an abuser successfully makes claims of alienation, children can be court-ordered into reunification therapy and separated from their safe parent. In more extreme situations, the judge will order reunification camp, which prompts the formation of a reunification “team.” This team includes contracted transporters, also called transport agents. They will remove a child or children from their home, from the courthouse, or wherever they are currently located and transport them to the reunification camp. To avoid accusations of human trafficking, guardianship is transferred at each point of the operation: transporters are the first appointed guardians when they arrive with court orders to take a child, and then guardianship is transferred to the reunification camp upon the child’s arrival.