Florida Representative Antone Introduces HB-1279 to End Child Psychological Abuse

To amend the child abuse reporting statutes in Florida requires that legislation be passed in both the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate.

Florida State Representative Bruce Antone has just filed legislation with the Florida House of Representatives to protect children from the psychological child abuse surrounding “parental alienation”:

HB 1279: Child Psychological Abuse

This legislation filed by Representative Anton is companion House of Representatives legislation to the Florida State Senate legislation filed earlier this week by Florida State Senator Victor Torres:

SB 1432: Child Psychological Abuse

Susan Remus, who is responsible for leading this impressive achievement to change the child abuse protection laws to explicitly include child psychological abuse, has indicated to me in our conversations that Representative Antone’s support has been both key and instrumental to achieving this monumental accomplishment.  According to Susan, Representative Antone provided his support and commitment to protecting children from psychological child abuse from their very first conversations.

I have sent Representative Antone a letter of appreciation for his commitment to protecting all children from all forms of child abuse, and for his commitment to ending the family tragedy of “parental alienation” following divorce, in which loving and beloved parents are erased from the lives of their children.  I am posting my letter of appreciation to Representative Antone here to my blog in order to publicly express my deep appreciation to Representative Antone for his commitment to children and families.

Dear Representative Antone,

Words cannot express my appreciation for your filing of HB-1279: Child Psychological Abuse.  Your constituent, Ms. Susan Remus, has described for me how you have been there for her from the very first moment she described to you the devastating emotional and psychological abuse created by “parental alienation” surrounding divorce; parents and families who become erased from a child’s life because of one parent’s narcissistic desire for revenge on the other spouse for the divorce.  Children are not weapons, they’re kids.  All children have the fundamental right to love both parents, and all children have the fundamental right to receive the love of both parents in return.  You are an ally of the children.

Your compassion, support, and leadership have been instrumental – and indeed pivotal – in achieving this first step in protecting children – all children, not just in Florida, but across the nation – from the brutal and abusive family pathology of “parental alienation.”  For the millions of children who are caught in the middle of their parents’ divorce, who are torn apart by a devastating loyalty conflict imposed on them by one parent who is seeking to use the child as a weapon of revenge against the other spouse for the divorce, I say thank you Representative Antone.  Thank you for hearing the children.  Thank you for standing up for them.

To the 46^th District in Florida, I’d also like to say thank you so much for having the wisdom to select Mr. Antone as your Representative.  Excellent-excellent choice.  It is clear that in Representative Antone you have a staunch ally, an advocate, and a voice for you.  As one of your neighbors, Susan Remus, will testify and bear witness, Representative Antone listens to you, and he cares.  He cares.  Excellent-excellent choice.

House bill HB-1279: Child Psychological Abuse will have a substantial impact on protecting children and families across Florida and throughout the nation by calling attention to the devastating family pathology of “parental alienation,” and by serving as a model for achieving the protection of children from the severe psychological abuse of “parental alienation” following divorce.  For parents to lose a lifetime of love and bonding with their children, and for children to lose loving relationships with dearly beloved parents after divorce because of the cruelty of a narcissistic spouse who is seeking revenge on the other ex-spouse for the divorce, is abhorrent and must end; and because of your efforts Representative Antone, and those of your colleague in the Florida State Senate, the Honorable Victor Torres, the loving relationships of children and parents in Florida, and across the nation, will be protected.

For all the children and families who are suffering, thank you for hearing their cries and thank you for acting to bring their suffering to an end.  You listened to their cries and you acted.  Much respect and much honor belong to you, Representative Antone.  Thank you.

Craig Childress, Psy.D.
Psychologist, PSY 18857