The Bring Sean Home Foundation released the text of David Goldman’s testimony at a Congressional hearing on international child abduction on May 24, 2011. In his opening remarks, Goldman addressed the harm done to Sean over the long years of wrongful retention. I thought you’d like to see these, as they address the concerns of Prof. Margaret Drew and others regarding what language we should use when talking about parental abduction (alientation or child abuse):
"For five and one half years, I walked in the shoes of the Left-Behind Parent. I lived in a world of despondency and desperation, with a searing pain throughout my entire being. Everywhere I turned I saw an image of my abducted child. Sleep was hard to come by and never restful. If I smiled, I felt guilt. When I saw children, whether it was in the store, a park, on television or even on my charter boat, where clients often take their families for a day on the water, it was more than painful. For the longest time it was too painful to be around my own family members. I couldn’t even be around my nieces and nephews. It was too painful. Where was my son? Where was my child? He had been abducted. He was being held illegally. He was being psychologically, emotionally and mentally abused. I needed to help him. I needed to save him. He needed me, his father."
The remainder of Goldman’s testimony may be read here at bringseanhome.org. You might also read the letter Goldman read that was signed by 83 parents of 117 children wrongfully retained in 25 countries.
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