A controversial theory about child abuse is swaying family court judges to award custody to parents accused of harming kids. We trace the origins of “parental alienation.”

** 
*Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter <a href="https://www.revealnews.org/newsletter/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">today</a>.*

A controversial theory about child abuse is swaying family court judges to award custody to parents accused of harming kids. We trace the origins of “parental alienation.” ** *Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.*

A controversial theory about child abuse is swaying family court judges to award custody to parents accused of harming kids. We trace the origins of “parental alienation.”

** 
*Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter <a href="https://www.revealnews.org/newsletter/" rel="noopener noreferrer">today</a>.*

Bitter Custody

Reveal’s investigations will inspire, infuriate and inform you. Host Al Letson and an award-winning team of reporters deliver gripping stories about caregivers, advocates for the unhoused, immigrant families, warehouse workers and formerly incarcerated people, fighting to hold the powerful accountable. The New Yorker described Reveal as “a knockout … a pleasure to listen to, even as we seethe.” A winner of multiple Peabody, duPont, Emmy and Murrow awards, Reveal is produced by the nation’s first investigative journalism nonprofit, The Center for Investigative Reporting, and PRX. From unearthing exploitative working conditions to exposing the nation’s racial disparities, there’s always more to the story. Learn more at <a href="https://revealnews.org/?utm_source=reveal-podcast&amp;utm_medium=partner-website&amp;utm_campaign=membership_2022_podcastdescription&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=&amp;campaign=">revealnews.org/learn</a>.

News

Reveal’s investigations will inspire, infuriate and inform you. Host Al Letson and an award-winning team of reporters deliver gripping stories about caregivers, advocates for the unhoused, immigrant families, warehouse workers and formerly incarcerated people, fighting to hold the powerful accountable. The New Yorker described Reveal as “a knockout … a pleasure to listen to, even as we seethe.” A winner of multiple Peabody, duPont, Emmy and Murrow awards, Reveal is produced by the nation’s first investigative journalism nonprofit, The Center for Investigative Reporting, and PRX. From unearthing exploitative working conditions to exposing the nation’s racial disparities, there’s always more to the story. Learn more at revealnews.org/learn.

Reveal’s investigations will inspire, infuriate and inform you. Host Al Letson and an award-winning team of reporters deliver gripping stories about caregivers, advocates for the unhoused, immigrant families, warehouse workers and formerly incarcerated people, fighting to hold the powerful accountable. The New Yorker described Reveal as “a knockout … a pleasure to listen to, even as we seethe.” A winner of multiple Peabody, duPont, Emmy and Murrow awards, Reveal is produced by the nation’s first investigative journalism nonprofit, The Center for Investigative Reporting, and PRX. From unearthing exploitative working conditions to exposing the nation’s racial disparities, there’s always more to the story. Learn more at <a href="https://revealnews.org/?utm_source=reveal-podcast&amp;utm_medium=partner-website&amp;utm_campaign=membership_2022_podcastdescription&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=&amp;campaign=" rel="noopener noreferrer">revealnews.org/learn</a>.

Share Bitter Custody

Sign up to save your podcasts

Bitter Custody

Bitter Custody

More shows like Reveal

This American Life

Radiolab

Fresh Air

The New Yorker Radio Hour

Criminal

The Moth

99% Invisible

Snap Judgment

Live Wire with Luke Burbank

On the Media

On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

The World

Living on Earth

Afropop Worldwide

Embedded

Latino USA

Death, Sex & Money

Code Switch

1A

Things That Go Boom

The Science of Happiness

Throughline

Suave