Many people have preconceived notions about victims of domestic violence. But they often aren’t correct.

For example, one victim of domestic violence is sharing her story. And she doesn’t fit any of the preconceptions.

She is the Dean of the University of Arkansas School of Law.

Arkansas has one of the highest rates in the US of homicides resulting from domestic violence.

The Dean is living proof that victims of domestic violence can escape, survive and flourish afterwards.

But the first step is getting out.

Read more in this Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article: U of A School of Law dean shares her domestic-abuse story.

A disturbing editorial rendering accounts of adults who were victims of parental alienation as children and the parents from whom they were alienated.

One particularly haunting account was of a young father who was being alienated from his children … and his sudden insight that what he was going through now was what happened to his own father when he was a child.

The morsel of hope to be drawn from the piece is that many children eventually come to understand as adults what went on when they were children – and re-establish bonds with the parent from whom they were alienated.

Sometimes lost in the shuffle is that the children are also victims of parental alienation – and that they are often scarred by the alienation. Even if they eventually re-attach to the alienated parent.

Read more in this Mens News Daily editorial – From ‘Adult Children of Parental Alienation Syndrome’: Reuniting with the Targeted Parent (Part I).

One of the most common questions that parents pose to family lawyers arises from threats by one parent to have the other parent arrested for kidnapping.

In the majority of cases where this threat is related to family lawyers, there is absolutely no legal basis to support an arrest.

(Of course, that does not mean that the threatening parent cannot call every law enforcement agency he or she can get to talk to him or her, and attempt to enlist the agency’s aid, witting or unwitting, in harassing the other parent.)

A Texas father was actually recently indicted for kidnapping two of his own children during the parents’ latest custody battle. (The terms of any applicable child custody orders are not known.) The charges pressed were felony charges, imposing penalties of up to ten years.

The man allegedly struck his ex-wife in the head and drove off with two of their children. The man reportedly took the children to a nearby relative’s house for the night – with the intention of returning them to school / daycare the following day.

The man was acquitted.

Part of his defense was that he was incorrectly charged with kidnapping his children. At worst, his attorney apparently argued, he should have been charged with interference with custody. That is a lesser charge, with a maximum penalty of two years.

And, after hearing all of the evidence and circumstances, the jury evidently agreed that the man was not guilty of kidnapping.

Read more in this Midland Reporter Telegram article: Jury clears man of kidnapping charges.

Woman meets group of friends at local Chinese restaurant.

She arranged everything by e-mail from home.

She specifically chose that desination because she knew she wouldn’t encounter her ex-husband there, because he disliked Chinese food.

The woman’s ex had a history of controlling and abusive behaviors.

When she arrived, she was shocked to see him there.

How did he know?

How do an increasing number of former, controlling and abusive intimate partners in general keep tabs on their ex’s, and continue haunting their steps and their lives?

Unfortunately, computer spyware renders one’s personal computer “an open book”. Every keystroke is visible. All stored information accessible.

It is important for victims and potential victims of stalking and cyberstalking to be aware of this.

And, for sensitive matters, to only use computers that their abuser does not have access to. And to have their home computer “cleaned” after the abuser’s access is cut off.

Cyberstalking is a crime in Florida and many other states.

Read many good prevention and protection tips in this Emerald Coast article: Cyberstalking; it’s frightening, it’s intrusive, and it’s against the law.

Michigan couple divorces.

Mother’s parents maintain relationship with grandchildren for several years.

Mother relationship with her parents breaks down.

Mother denies grandparents access to grandchildren.

Children’s father apparently concurs with their mother.

The grandparents sued, arguing that placing the parents’ wishes above the grandparents violates the grandparents’ due process and equal protections rights under the constitution.

The Michigan appellate court denied the grandparents’ claims and upheld fit parents’ right to raise their children as they see fit, even if they agree to bar contact with grandparents.

Read more in this Detroit Free Press article: Both divorced parents must agree to grandparent visits, court rules.relationship breaks down.