Part of the I CARE Foundation's outreach strategy to assist targeted parents trying to protect their children from abduction is to have our leadership educate and provide legal advice and strategy to attorneys who may be representing a targeted parent and children who may not be too familiar with the vast complexities of international parental child abduction and abduction prevention.
We take the time to carefully assist these attorneys, providing the details necessary so that they may be able to successfully litigate a case in order to protect a child or children.
And the more attorneys we work with and provide them with the vast resources of knowledge at our disposal, the more children at risk of abduction are actually being protected.
This past week the I CARE Foundation had a busier week than usual trying to assist targeted parents prevent the abduction of their children.
In fact, Friday alone included three separate international parental child abduction prevention cases that we directly were involved in litigation with, and one case where we provided important counsel and advice.
Now, when the I CARE Foundation goes into court on behalf of a parent, I am generally very confident in our ability: our track record demonstrates this. However, I must say that in the past I was always on edge when it came to an attorney going into court trying to prevent an abduction who is not directly a part of our network and who has not had formal training on abduction.
This concern still exists, but it is decreasing as our track record with outside counsel continues to increase.
There is no question that the personality of a lawyer in court does have sway on what a judge may or may not permit during litigation. Yes, the law is suppose to be objective, but in reality people are subjective. And that is both good and bad. This all said, the objectivity of our legal briefs and our the knowledge of what the I CARE Foundation's helps prepare does make a big difference.
And so today, a very special message to my friend Brian: I am very, very happy for you. So go and enjoy the day with your child because today is a beautiful day!
I am very happy to have been able to help you my friend.
On a separate but relevant note, the first quarter of 2013 is shaping up to be a very busy one with respect to international parental child abduction prevention cases. The I CARE Foundation's intake of prevention cases is at 40% of the 2012 case load: clearly more parents are acting in preemptive ways in order to stop an international kidnapping before it happens. This is very important news as it may represent - I hope - that the number of reported abductions may drop again this year the way it declined in 2012 (A 15.3% decline in reported cases during 2012).
There is no question that the I CARE Foundation's along with other organizations' messages concerning international parental child abduction prevention is working. The number of reported kidnappings is dropping while the number of abduction prevention cases is increasing.
Step by step, we are making a difference.
Best regards to all,
Peter Thomas Senese
Author - Chasing The Cyclone
