Malicious Mother Syndrome

[LadyBlaBlah]

Check this out for the most ludicrous and oppressive 'syndrome' for a long while

Someone I know has had this thrown on them as part of divorce proceedings.............so he was having an affair and left. His kids don't want to see him (he fucked off for 6 months and left them all to it etc etc) and apparently this is her fault

The scary thing is that this is creeping into the legal system.

here

[vesuvia]

I've just typed "malicious father syndrome" into Google and it responded with "did you mean malicious mother syndrome?" (because malicious mothers are the subject of ten times as many web pages).

It's also known as parental alienation syndrome, but it appears that is not such a "catchy" name as malicious mother syndrome.

[TessOfTheBurbs]

yy. Parental alientation syndrome - OK (though a bit twitchy at "syndrome". I believe that it happens.

"Malicious mother syndrome" is an absolutely ridiculous, dumb and pointlessly inflammatory way of putting it. Even in the body of the article they refer to it as parental alienation syndrome because deep down even the author must know that "malicious mother syndrome" is a complete load of bollocks that (hopfully) no judge would entertain. I can't believe the author has a PhD. In what, misogynistic twattery?

[fuschiagroan]

Aren't fathers more likely to murder the children in order to get back at the mother? Bit worse than buying a cat cos the husband is allergic...

[mathanxiety]

Thank you Dittany. exH has threatened me with contempt of court three times in about 18 months; I think that qualifies as malicious father syndrome under the excessive legal threats section? Ironically the last threat is over poisoning the DCs minds against him. DD1 got the treatment too...

Course it's not a problem if he does it, because it's only mothers who are bad and capable of malice...

[mathanxiety]

Sad that all of this seems to fall on such fertile ground.

[LadyBlaBlah]

Wow Richard Gardner sounds like a twat

A shame his theory seems to be taking ground after his death.

I am so shocked that solictors will use this against women like it is some sort if recognised syndrome. I had to be very clear to this lady that it was not a syndrome with any credence or research, yet she was still really worried she was in the wrong.

[TessOfTheBurbs]

Hasn't Alec Baldwin written a book about this?

I obviously don't know him personally and therefore know next to nothing about his family and relationships, but one thing I do know is that awful ranting answerphone message he left his 12yr old daughter (the transcript is googleable for those strong of stomach). He now says he's sorry and has repaired his relationship with her, but was driven to it by his ex-wife's alienating ways. It just makes you wonder. You hear him say this and that about his ex-wife and maybe she is doing this and that, but that answerphone message was just inexcusable and makes you wonder if there's rather more to it.

[TessOfTheBurbs]

Well, more to it than what Alec Baldwin is saying. i.e. there might be a good reason why his daughter didn't want to see him.

[edam]

Good grief.

We really do need judges and barristers who understand how to weigh up claims about science and medicine. Who know what 'peer review' and 'evidence' mean in that context.

[mathanxiety]

Can you feel the love there, in that phone call?

[tortoiseonthehalfshell]

I've heard of parental alienation syndrome, and that was bad enough, but fucking hell, Malicious Mother Syndrome? Really honestly that got through a peer-reviewed process to become a Thing?

Every time I think it's so blatant it can't be more blatant, and yet we still get "but women are equal now, feminism is passe".

(Dittany, are you a lawyer? I have wondered this for ages)

[Sakura]

every now and again on this topic something makes me go Fu-cking hell

[Sakura]

HAs anyone read Susan Faludi's "Backlash" because it sounds like we're in the middle of one right now. 36 "Hooters" restaurants to open, "Mothers are Witches in disguise Syndrome" seeping into the court system tells me that patriarchy is upping its antse.
Or has it always been this bad and it's only now we've got sites like MN it's becoming transparent?
God it feels like 2 steps forward 3 steps back though doesn't it.