BELLEVILLE ~ A former police constable is hoping to raise awareness about parental alienation
– a form of abuse that can have devastating impacts on children.
Miranda Orr, a former police officer in Belleville, recently joined Parental Alienation Awareness Organization — a group that aims to educate the public and professionals about prevention of, and responses to, parental alienation, according to their website.
The act refers to the alienation of one parent by the other — typically going through a separation or divorce — through manipulating the child or children involved in the family. The behaviours generally involve the mental manipulation and/or bullying of the child to pick between one parent or the other.
“This is happening in our community, children across the globe are experiencing this,”
said Orr Monday.
“It’s actually a huge, growing phenomena. Children develop all kinds of self esteem issues, depression is a common one.”
These behaviours can also result in destroying a loving and warm relationship they once shared with a parent.
The organization, based in Toronto, works to create awareness in the courts, with judges, lawyers, police officers and children’s services.
As explained on the PAAO website, parental alienation and hostile aggressive parenting deprive children of their right to be loved by and showing love for both of their parents and extended family. It can occur in intact families, but is mostly seen in separated and divorced families.
Orr joined the organization about a year ago. Through her lengthy career as a police officer she witnessed various forms of emotional abuse.
She decided to get involved after realizing many people are not aware of parental alienation and do not know that it is a form of emotional abuse.
To help increase awareness, she is working on organizing an event this April.
April 25 is recognized as Parental Alienation Awareness Day. On this day, people are encouraged to take part in “Bubbles for Love” by blowing bubbles for 10 minutes at noon, to recognize parental alienation and the affected children.
Locally, Orr, along with an organizing committee, is hosting an event on April 10 to make bubbles available to those interested in doing a Bubbles of Love day.
The event will take place at West Zwick’s Centennial Park Lions pavilion from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Orr has created a Facebook page, Bubbles of Love Day Quinte, where people can find information or contact organizers.
More information about parental alienation can be found at: www.paawareness.org 
NEWS
No comments:
Post a Comment