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Abstract: 

This article highlights one component of the disturbing scenario in which protective mothers are further victimized by family court processes. Previously published in the comprehensive two-volume compendium, Domestic Violence, Abuse, and Child Custody, this article, authored by Julie Ancis and Laurel Watson, gives voice to the experiences of 16 protective mothers who speak to the critical importance of the role played, for better or for worse, by guardians ad litem—attorneys who represent the children or claim to speak on behalf of their “best interests.” Sadly, these legal agents, like many of the others, tend to fall under the seductive sway of the narcissistic abuser, who turns reality on its head by insisting that it is the protective mother who is the perpetrator and the abuser who is the victim.

Keywords: Role of Custody Evaluators and Guardians Ad Litem

Affiliations:  1: New Jersey Institute of Technology; 2: Georgia State University.