comments_imageCOMMENTS: 5

Custody dilemma

Should a mom have to take the kids to visit her rapist in jail?
May 4, 2006  |  
 
 
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Trish Wilson is outraged that an Indiana rape victim has to take her kids to rape visit her attacker (their dad) in prison.

Trish writes:
The man who attacked and raped her is the father of her children. The judge in her case didn't care that this man had attacked and raped her. He ordered that, as Linetty's children's father, he deserves his precious visitation. Now Linetty is forced to take her children to the prison were her attacker and rapist is being housed. She has to see her attacker because the judge decided that fathers' rights trumps attack and rape.
Fathers' rights activists of course think that the children should see their father in jail.
Fathers' rights activist Jeffrey Leving said, "The court has determined that it is in the best interest of the children that they visit their father. In part, it's about the right of fathers, but the real focus is children's rights."
Oh, spare me. It's in the children's best interests to be forced to see a father who, as Linetty describes it, has shown little interest in them up until this time? It's in their best interests for them to have contact with the man who attacked and raped their mother?
I see this case as very sad, but not outrageous. Incarcerated parents should have visitation rights unless the authorities decide that it would be harmful for the children to be exposed to the parent. We may question the judge's decision in this particular case. I have to wonder whether it's good for children to visit a dad who's doing time for raping their mom. But as long as the court believes that visits are in the best interests of the children, then the dad has a right to see his kids.

I feel for the victim in this case. She shouldn't have to escort her children to the prison and face her attacker. The Indiana courts should arrange for a case worker to take the kids to visit their dad if the mom doesn't want to take them.

[Trish Wilson]

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Lindsay Beyerstein a New York writer blogging at Majikthise.
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Well...
Posted by: sln70 on May 4, 2006 11:55 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
prisons are not nice places. It's my opinion that children should NEVER be forced to go into one, no matter who is behind bars, unless the visit can be done away from anyone else in the prison population and is supervised at all times by a child-services-worker.

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» I agree that children shouldn't be forced Posted by: Lindsay Beyerstein

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Father's rights
Posted by: DrC on May 4, 2006 11:59 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'm all for father's rights, and there are numerous instances of courts stepping on those rights nationwide. But this should have nothing to do with "father's rights" because this father lost his rights when he raped the children's mother. Advocacy groups need to learn when to draw the line, and I'm surprised that anyone would support this.

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» RE: Father's rights Posted by: Lindsay Beyerstein
Alternet Comments:

Comments are closed-

Well...
Posted by: sln70 on May 4, 2006 11:55 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
prisons are not nice places. It's my opinion that children should NEVER be forced to go into one, no matter who is behind bars, unless the visit can be done away from anyone else in the prison population and is supervised at all times by a child-services-worker.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» I agree that children shouldn't be forced Posted by: Lindsay Beyerstein

Comments are closed-

Father's rights
Posted by: DrC on May 4, 2006 11:59 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'm all for father's rights, and there are numerous instances of courts stepping on those rights nationwide. But this should have nothing to do with "father's rights" because this father lost his rights when he raped the children's mother. Advocacy groups need to learn when to draw the line, and I'm surprised that anyone would support this.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Father's rights Posted by: Lindsay Beyerstein
 
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