Dr. Pixie du Toit, founder of the Sinoville Crisis Center, says Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) occurs primarily in the context of custody disputes. “It results from the defamation of the other parent by a brainwashed parent. The main purpose of the alienating parent is a campaign of hostility, even hatred, against the alienated parent so that the child rejects that parent, in many cases the father, ”Du Toit said. According to statistics, in 85 to 90% of divorce cases, the mother is the alienator. “The targeted parent’s defamation often extends to that parent’s extended family, such as grandparents, …

Dr. Pixie du Toit, founder of the Sinoville Crisis Center, says Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) occurs primarily in the context of custody disputes.

“It results from the defamation of the other parent by a brainwashed parent. The main purpose of the alienating parent is a campaign of hostility, even hatred, against the alienated parent so that the child rejects that parent, in many cases the father, ”Du Toit said.

According to statistics, in 85 to 90% of divorce cases, the mother is the alienator.

“The targeted parent’s defamation often extends to that parent’s extended family, such as grandparents with whom the child may have had a loving relationship before. So the grandparents are turned away too. “

Du Toit said the alienating parents are often obsessed with trying to thwart their ex-husband’s visitation rights or phone calls with the child (or children).

“It can even put pressure on the child to lie about physical or sexual abuse, thereby eliminating any contact with the estranged parent.

“I have experienced gender discrimination against the estranged parent, often the father, while at work evaluating suspected sexual abuse cases.

“Often children are told by the alienating parent to make a false sexual assault allegation,” Du Toit said.

Alienated children tend to identify with and imitate the alienator and do not want to spend time with or visit the alienated parent.

“They suffer from the same delusions and irrational beliefs as the alienator about the non-resident parent,” added Du Toit.

Therapists who are not specifically trained to work with alienated children often increase parental alienation as they respond to the child’s desires and the alienation becomes more difficult to reverse.

“Failure to undo alienation will adversely affect the child’s psychological development, especially in building and maintaining good interpersonal relationships,” she said.

Du Toit said alienation is in direct contrast to the fact that children get along best with two loving and caring parents to guide them.

“However, if the parents divorce or separate, it is still possible to offer such care and advice.”

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