Maternal Alienation - South Australian Policy Online

Table 1: How integrating awareness of maternal alienation would changeresponses and outcomesPROBLEMMother and child alienated bystrategies of perpetrator ofviolenceChildren unable to accesstheir mother as mainsupporter due to maternalalienation.Demeaning and disrespectfulattitudes to women are taughtwithin families.Children coached to commitacts of abuse and disrespectto their mothers.Inappropriate responses byagencies which blame womenand further damage familyrelationshipsGaps in knowledge of DVperpetrators' deliberate useof strategies to manipulate,punish and control.Lack of knowledge of maternalalienation in Family Court.Lack of knowledge in criminaljustice system of DVperpetrators' deliberate useof strategies to manipulate,punish and controlCHANGES TO SERVICERESPONSESupport mothers and children tounderstand this and then build anew alliance, to re-form as afamilyModels of Practice that enhancemothers' support of theirchildren, and allow children toaccess their mothers as the mainagents of their own protectionWork with children, young peopleand women on genderstereotypes, especially how theyconstruct mothersExplicit work with children andyoung people, possibly using anadaptation of the Power andControl wheel, facilitation ofdiscussions between women andchildren.Professional training acrossservices and sectors providingnew models and toolsEnhanced perpetrator programswhich explicitly address wayschildren are abused, manipulatedand alienated from theirmothers.Training for Family Courtofficials.Training for professionals incriminal justice systemEARLY INTERVENTION,PREVENTION OUTCOMEPrevention of family breakdownand youth homelessness inaftermath of violenceDecreased need for statutorybodies to be involved inprotecting children.Decreased need for otherservices to be involved in thefuture (mental health, drug &alcohol, criminal justice, etc)More positive communityattitudes to women, morerealistic perceptions ofmothers/motherhood, betterfuture relationships.Decreases in adolescent violenceto mothers.Decreases in violence againstwomen in future relationships.Decreases in abuse of elderlywomen by adult children.Increased safety and well-beingfor women and childrenDecreased family breakdownpost separationDecreased reception of childreninto careIncreased effectiveness ofprogramsDecrease in children being usedin custody disputes, and/or as aroute to tracing/controlling thewoman.Better living and contactarrangements for childrenBetter understanding amongstpolice officers and prosecutorsresulting in enhanced lawenforcement and appropriatesanctions and controls onperpetrators.Table reproduced from Morris, A. (2003). Working across Services and Sectors to counter theEffects of Violence on Mothers and Children - The Maternal Alienation Project. Beyond theRhetoric in Early Intervention - Bridging the Gap between Education, Health and Crime Prevention,Adelaide.7