LEGAL SERVICES

There is a variety of ways you can find legal resources in your community: • Ask a family member, friend, or co- worker for a referral to an attorney. • Consult the Washington State Bar HARMFUL Association’s Web site at www.wsba.org under Resources for the Public. EFFECTS • A list of legal service providers for those with low income who live within King OF PARENTAL County can be found online at www.nwjustice.org or by calling 211. The local number is 206-461-3200. The ABDUCTION toll-free number is 800-621-4636, from King County only. IN CHILD • Northwest Justice Project’s legal education, referral, and advice service is CUSTODY called CLEAR and is available toll-free for those with low income who live outside King County at 888-201-1014. CASES • Legal help on a variety of topics, including family law, may be found at www.washingtonlawhelp.org. • Court forms and instructions can be This important information downloaded at is for parents involved in www.courts.wa.gov/forms/. a divorce, separation, or • Courthouse facilitator programs are listed on the Court Directory page of the parenting plan action Washington Courts Web site at and is provided by www.courts.wa.gov. your Superior Court. • Guardian ad litem information is included on the “Boards, Commissions, Programs & Orgs” page of the Washington Courts Web site at www.courts.wa.gov. • Domestic violence advocacy groups can help with protection orders and other related matters. For a directory of resources near you, call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-562-6025 or check the Web site for the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence at www.wscadv.org. Forms and instructions for domestic violence protection orders can be found on the Washington Courts Web site at www.courts.wa.gov/forms/, and your County Clerk’s office has a domestic violence clerk who can help you apply for a protection order.

Given the need to maintain The returned child may suffer secrecy by the abducting parent, loyalty conflicts, emotional HARMFUL EFFECTS OF children who are parentally detachment, and feelings of betrayal PARENTAL ABDUCTION IN abducted often: by providing information about the CHILD CUSTODY CASES (1) Fail to receive an adequate abducting parent who broke the law.

education; An inability to trust adults in general Child custody disputes can can hinder the child's ability to form sometimes lead one parent or (2) Fail to receive adequate lasting relationships even long into the other to abduct one or more medical care; adulthood. of their children. Each year (3) Live in substandard housing; approximately two hundred fifty If the child is very young when thousand children in the United (4) Are told the parent left abducted and is returned as an States are abducted by a behind is a bad person, does not older child, the child may suffer noncustodial or custodial want the child, or is deceased; serious negative emotional effects parent in violation of the law. (5) Are instructed to lie to remain because the child feels as if he or

anonymous and hidden; she is returned to a stranger, and Child abduction, including therefore the return to the parent abduction by a parent, (6) Are fearful of leaving their who was originally left behind seems commonly leads to growing residence; like an abduction itself. fear, confusion, and general (7) Are fearful of encountering mistrust on the part of the child. law enforcement and other Parents need to understand that, Parental abduction means a security personnel. even though their relationship with loss of the parent left behind, each other may be strained or even extended family, friends, pets, If and when returned, abducted toxic, their children often have a community, and familiar children often live in apprehension strong, loving, trusting relationship surroundings that provide of being abducted again. Just as with both parents. children with a sense of abused children may identify with security and well-being. Such and seek the approval of their A parent who is considering losses may be very traumatic abuser, abducted children may do abducting his or her child should for a child leading to long-term, the same with their abductor. know and understand the potential adverse effects as the child Once returned, the child may feel short-term and long-term traumatic grows. anger and resentment at the impacts that parental abduction has parent who was left behind on a child and consider only those because the child now does not actions that will be lawful and will have visitation or communication contribute to the child's best with the abducting parent. interests.