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BRITISH GOVERNMENT FIGURES show there were 28 cases in the past year involving children who were abducted from a parent or guardian in the UK and taken to Ireland.
Total figures for parental child abduction and international custody cases have been revealed by authorities in Britain as they seek to raise awareness of the problem ahead of an expected spike in cases after Christmas.
They relate to cases whereby a child was taken out of the UK against the stipulation of a court order or against the will of one parent.
The number of cases involving the Foreign Office has more than doubled in the last decade, from 272 in 2003-2004 to 580 in the past year. Cases involving children taken to Ireland accounted for the fourth largest number of such incidents; Pakistan accounted for 35 cases, followed by the US (32) and Poland (29).
Contrary to the belief that fathers are most often to blame, mothers are responsible for 70 percent of the abductions, the Foreign Office said. Charities involved in child abduction said there was a spike in cases just after Christmas last year, and again in September following the summer holidays.
Figures from the Department of Justice here show there were 83 cases of suspected abduction in in 2012 relating to attempts to bring children out of the country. The Department also dealt with 64 cases involving children entering the state.
Speaking earlier this year upon the release of the Irish figures, Justice Minister Alan Shatter said that parental-child abductions remained a “worrying problem”.
The UK Foreign Office has produced this video aimed at encouraging parents to consider the consequences of taking a child out of the country without permission…
(Youtube: Foreign & Commonwealth Office)
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I actually live here now because. 6 years ago my ex partner absconded with my daughter to Ireland . I did find her and managed to get her but it took a year or so . Now I live here with my daughter and her mum lives 2 doors up the road . It certainly taught her a lesson because we asked her who she wanted to live with and she chose me . I suppose I m one of the lucky ones but it still took a lot of effort ,heartache and vertically living off of nothing to do it .
The problem is a biased legal system, sadly many fathers can do nothing about it but the damage it does to the kids is extraordinary
What an awful thing to do, must be so heartbreaking for child as well as the parent that doesn’t see their child. However it does not help speaking bad about one parent to a child or asking them who they love most/who they prefer etc, I had that as a child and as an adult I still panic at family events etc trying to please everyone
“Contrary to the belief that fathers are most often to blame, mothers are responsible for 70 percent of the abductions”. That ‘belief’ has been created and carefully managed by the mass media, including TheJournal.ie. Child abductions are only ‘tragic’ when we have a weeping mother to empathize with and a bad-dad to chase.
Spot on. Spot on.
It seems Dads have no say in what happens to their kids, who with or where they live and how they are brought up.
I know of one case where the mother of the child wanted to emigrate to Canada. Dad was against it as it would mean not seeing child as often if at all. Mother went to court and granted permission, totally against wishes of father and child. Hence, he now only sees child twice a year, at the whim of the mum and has to travel to & from Canada to do so.
He tried every court in the land and no one would hear him. It’s heartbreaking and so frustratingly unfair.
He was likely unmarried Denise. That makes him simply a sperm donor if so. I’m too sick to my stomach after reading your post to continue. Happens all the time.
You’re right Luke, he & Mum were never married. It’s amazing the amount of effort he put in to having his daughter nearby him but it was ignored. His rights were totally trampled over. BUT he had to continue paying almost €1000 per month maintenance, even when he lost his job. When he ran out of money after 9 months of unemployment, he was swiftly taken to court in Ireland and ordered to beg, borrow, steal the money to pay her or go to prison for three months.
There is absolutely no respect or sense of fairness shown to Dads who love their kids and support them.
Its pretty clear what’s required here; change of legislation in respect of parental rights of unmarried fathers. If you have none then mum is entitled to take the child wherever she pleases. Otherwise it’s an application under the Hague Convention.
Hi,
I am currently in Poland for court hearings because my wife abducted our two children to here in August 2013.
I can tell you I wake up every morning and cant believe it was just a bad nightmare……………..its absolutley horrible, cruel beyond belief/
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