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.