Hague Secretary General Applauds Peter Thomas Senese & I CARE Foundation's Effort To Stop Child Abduction This Christmas

During the Christmas holiday season, international parental child abduction around the world dramatically increases as would-be abducting parents are implementing their carefully planned out schemes to illegally remove their child from the other parent's life. Sadly, many targeted parents are not aware that these elaborate schemes are underway until it's too late. It is imperative that we do everything that we can to ensure children are protected from abduction because the reality is, that children of abduction, regardless if they are taken by a stranger or a parent, are emotionally, spiritually, and often severely physically abused. Once a child is kidnapped there is no guarantee that they will be coming home. Too many children never come home: they can't. They're gone forever. In order to protect against international child abduction schemes that revolve around the wrongful detention of a child, the I CARE Foundation has created the International Travel Child Consent Form. With an estimated 85% of all international parental abductions dealing with a child being wrongful detained in a foreign country, it is geared at potentially preventing the majority of these types of parental kidnappings. In the short time that this ground-breaking abduction prevention tool has been in use, not only has it made an enormous impact in the world of international child abduction, but it has also been acknowledged by major child abduction prevention stakeholders around the world, including Hague Conference on Private International Law Secretary General Mr. Christophe Bernasconi, who stated:

"I have had the possibility to look at the travel form and must say that I am impressed: this is the most comprehensive document of its kind that I have seen so far and there is little doubt in my mind that this is a most valuable and important effort to prevent child abduction. I applaud your efforts and wish to congratulate you and your team . . . It is really impressive to see how quickly your international travel child consent form has started to yield practical results and how well you monitor its operation - this really is remarkable."

Peter Thomas Senese, the I CARE Foundation's Executive Director, reports on the success of the Travel Consent Form thus far:

To the best of our knowledge, since the creation of the I CARE Foundation's International Travel Child Consent Form, all children traveling abroad from Hague Convention signatory countries who were expected to return to their country of original jurisdiction have come home. There have actually been several cases where one parent initially refused to sign the International Travel Child Consent Form, and in each of those cases, the overseeing judge would not permit travel. At that point additional measures were put into place in order to prevent a future parental abduction.

It is critical for all parents who are allowing a child to travel abroad to understand is that there are numerous traps and schemes that a would-be abductor will use in order to legally keep a child abroad. Most of these schemes revolve around Articles 12 and 13 of the Hague Convention of the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Defending against these potential strategies is critical. It is the thrust of the I CARE Foundation's International Travel Child Consent Form. And with tens of thousands of children around the world targeted for international parental abduction each year, our travel consent form may be the most effective tool that could help prevent abduction or help return a child to their country of original jurisdiction under the spirit of Article 2 of the Hague Convention.

For those parents that are allowing or are required to allow a child to travel to a foreign country need to strongly consider having the other parent sign the International Travel Child Consent Form. Should that parent not be willing to, this is a very serious warning sign that they may be planning an abduction. Another critical part of protecting children from international abduction... and this is so important... is being aware of the WARNING SIGNS of international parental child abduction... something as simple as a little education. The other vital piece of information is knowing what to do if an international parental child abduction is in progress. The truth is, all parents should be aware of the these things, but If you should happen to be a parent in a high-conflict relationship, especially if your partner has ties abroad, you would be considered in a category of extreme risk. Today we live in a world that embraces the idea of global citizenship, we have individuals from different countries that travel abroad. These individuals may eventually meet someone and enter into a relationship resulting in a child. So, things go well for a while and then the relationship starts to develop problems that may lead to a separation or divorce. In multi-cultural relationships, when this happens, it is not uncommon for the non-national individual to want to take the child and permanently relocate back to their country of origin. Knowing that the other parent is not going to allow this to happen, the parent that is wanting to leave often creates an elaborate scheme and illegally removes the child from the country, despite court orders or the other parent's wishes. At risk parents... those parents that are involved in child custody disputes, separation or divorce must be proactive in protecting their children. Often, parents that are involved in international child custody disputes and who may be targeted for abduction think that their child is best protected from abduction when there is a court agreement in place for the child to return if the other parent is granted travel. The truth is that unless there is an International Travel Child Consent Form that has immediate ramifications attached to it, the parent and child targeted for abduction are at serious risk.

Secretary General Christophe Bernasconi: How You Can Prevent International Abduction

While the winter holiday season is often one which presents many opportunities for festive family celebrations, it is also a period in which sadly more parental child abductions occur. As a result, it is more important than ever to take steps to prevent the wrongful removal of children so that abductions which are covered by the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction do not occur in the first place. Prevention can be achieved in several ways. For example, when one parent intends to travel with his or her child without the other parent, the other parents consent to the travel should first be obtained. One of the ways a parent can demonstrate that they have the approval of the other non-travelling parent is by having him or her sign a clear, comprehensive travel consent form which includes a statement that the non-travelling parent agrees to the travel but also that the child is to return to his/her place of habitual residence on or before a specific date. A model travel consent form for this purpose has recently been developed by the I CARE Foundation and is, I understand, already widely used by parents in various jurisdictions. Use of the I CARE Foundation's comprehensive Hague-centric travel form that addresses key aspects of the Hague Child Abduction Convention pertaining to a child's international travel are central to protecting against a child's wrongful retention abroad. The I CARE Foundation's International Travel Child Consent form and similar comprehensive models deserve further encouragement so as to prevent child abduction and perhaps even limit instances of child trafficking in general. The Hague Conference on Private International Law, the Secretariat for the Hague Child Abduction Convention, wishes the I CARE Foundation and its constituents a happy holiday season and hopes that precautions such as the one described above are able to prevent unnecessary anxiety and trauma for parents and children who are affected by holiday travel plans. With Best Wishes, Christophe Bernasconi, Secretary General The Hague Conference on Private International Law

A recent press release regarding the International Travel Child Consent Form not only shares the support from Secretary General Bernasconi but also other top lawyers and judges from around the world. You can view this release HERE.

The Would-Be Parent Abductor's Scheme:

As part of a would-be abducting parent's scheme, their lives become filled with deceit. As part of their elaborate plan for abduction, the would-be abducting parent may create a facade of being happily married and committed to their relationship, all while planning on how to get the child abroad. A common scenario might be for the would-be abductor to state that it would be nice if they could travel to their country of origin for what might appear to be a family vacation to visit a sibling or parents over the holidays. When the family arrives in the foreign country, the would-be abducting parent may file false claims of abuse and neglect against the other parent. Once this is done, they notify the other parent that they and the child will not be returning back to the country of original jurisdiction. At this point, the targeted parent is generally forced to return back home without their child where they then need to seek legal assistance. Multiple studies have shown that an unprecedented number of abductions have occurred where one parent took action to deprive the other parent of contact with their child. The majority of abducting parents typically use the child as a tool to cause the targeted parent great pain and suffering. Their intent is simple: to make the other parent suffer as much as possible by depriving that targeted parent with the love and connection to their own child. Nearly every published study on this subject has concluded that an abducting parent has significant, and typically, long-term psychological problems and may in fact be a danger to their child. This is the reality for hundreds of thousands of families. However, we can stop parental abduction. Awareness is the key.

Protecting Children From Abduction: U.S. Rates Of Abduction Decline

In 2011, the I CARE Foundation commenced formal operations with the mission to protect children from abduction. And since that time, there has been a decline in the rate of reported abductions originating from the United States. Certainly we are not alone in our efforts, but there is no question that our outreach efforts have made a incredible impact on the lives of the families that we have voluntarily assisted. It was forecasted that in 2011 there would be a increase of 25% in the abduction growth rate, but in actual fact, reported abductions declined by over 15%. During 2012, the actual reported abduction rate dropped by over 16%. After nearly 30 years of growth in the international parental child abduction rate, to see a decline for two consecutive years is pretty remarkable! It is anticipated that we will see another significant decline in the rates for 2013. Although worldwide abduction rates have not been reported since 2008, this has little to do with the Permanent Bureau of the Hague Conference, but instead a failure by signatory countries to report their inbound and outbound abduction rate. However, it is believed that the global rate of abduction continues to steadily climb out disturbing rates. With the worldwide launch and utilization of the I CARE Foundation's International Travel Child Consent Form, there is the expectation that the actual global rate of abduction will start to decline. There are two critical programs available to U.S. parent citizens that may aid in the prevention of their U.S. child citizen from being internationally abducted. The Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program (CPIAP) is one of the Department of State's most important tools for preventing international parental child abduction. Parents are able to register their U.S. citizen children under the age of 18 in the Passport Lookout System. If at some point a passport application is submitted for a child that is registered in the CPIAP, the Department of State contacts and alerts the parent(s). This system provides the parent(s) with advance warning of possible plans for international travel with the child. The Charleston Passport Center is responsible for administering the Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program:

U.S. Department of State Passport Services, Charleston Passport Center Attn: Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program 1269 Holland Street, Building D Charleston, SC 29405

E-mail: ChildrensPassports@state.gov Phone: 1-888-407-4747 Fax: 843-746-1827

The Prevent Departure Program (PDP) is another critical tool used in the fight to protect children from international abduction. In the past, American parents at risk of having a child illegally removed from the United States had to deal with the reality that it was extremely difficult to stop an international child abduction if the other parent possessed a right of American citizenship (sole or dual citizenship). Part of the problem is that the United States has limited exit controls and government published information regarding programs that could be utilized to stop international parental child abduction such as the Prevent Departure Program require a suspected international parental child abductor to not have a right of American Citizenship, among a host of other requirements. Today, parents who are at risk of having a child internationally abducted by a parent who possesses citizenship to the United States of America or who has dual citizenship may be able to protect their children from abduction. If you should happen to be an at-risk parent that believes your child's other parent is planning or is in the process of an international parental abduction, please contact the United States Department of State's Office of Children's Issues Abduction Prevention Bureau to discuss potential measures that may be available to you to ensure the individual parent suspected of an international child abduction threat does not illegally depart the United States and remove your child in violation of a court order or in breach of your right of custody. Similarly, be sure to contact the Office of Children's Issues Prevention Bureau to discuss if there are potential prevention techniques unique to your case that may allow the Department of State to work with other federal agencies so to secure your child is not a victim of international parental child abduction. Individuals that are seeking the assistance of the Department of State and the implementation of the Prevent Departure Program should make sure that they have the following information ready to submit to the Office of Children's Issues:

1. Full name, date, place of birth of Potential taking parent.
2. Full name, date, place of birth of Potential left behind parent (and PLBP’s contact info, including a surface address).
3. Passport number and issuing country (if available, and not U.S.) for both parents.
4. Full name of child.
5. Date, place of birth of child.
6. U.S. passport number of child.
7. Passport number and issuing country of any dual national passport of child (if available).
8. Copy of court order with travel restrictions.
9. Full contact details, including a 24/7 phone and email (to email court documents, we do not have after hours fax access), for law enforcement contact.
10. Details of potential travel plans.

To contact the Department of State's Office of Children's Issues Prevention Bureau please contact:

The United States Department of State Office Of Children's Issues Abduction Prevention Bureau CA/OCS/CI SA-17, 9th Floor Washington, DC 20522-1709 Phone: 1-888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444 Email: prevention@state.gov

To contact the I CARE Foundation concerning abduction matters please email us at legal@stopchildabduction.org. Outside of the I CARE Foundation's International Travel Child Consent Form, the United States government and agencies such as the Department of State continue their remarkable work attempting to protect children from international parental child abduction. It is estimated that the Department of State successfully requests placement of 8-10 individuals on the Prevent Departure Program each month while also overseeing an estimated 60 applications for utilization on the Passport Issuance Alert Program. This has played an incredible role in the 15% and 16% decline in international parental child abduction rates during 2011 and 2012 respectively.   If you think about it, that's a lot of innocent lives that are protected... and according to a report from the Department of Justice, children who are kidnapped by a parent face severe physical abuse and are also put at an extreme risk of being murdered. In fact, Dr. Phillip Resnick, the Director of Forensic Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland stated in an article that was published by the Denver Post a few years ago about parental child killing, “Historically, one out of 33 homicides is a parent killing a child younger than 18.” Dr. Resnick, who conducted a study on filicide in 2005 states “Filicide, the deliberate act of a parent killing his or her own child, is the third-leading cause of death in American children ages 5 to 14.” Filicide is not a term that we talk about alot, but the reality is, we need to talk about it more. The third leading cause of death in American children. Can you imagine? According to the Denver Post reports, “Researchers estimate 250 to 300 children are murdered by their parents each year in the U.S. Now, filicide occurs everywhere... it is not a phenomenon isolated within American borders. Simply put, parents do kill children! And we can’t put our head in the sand and think this does not exist. The common misconception that parental abductions are considered a family matter has to end. Parental child abduction is a serious crime. The act of abduction leads to ongoing forms of abuse toward a child. When a child is abducted they must be immediately considered to be in great danger! It is that serious!

Peter Thomas Senese: His Advocacy And Volunteer Work Helping Children and Families In Crisis

Clearly, protecting children from parental abduction requires an indefatigable commitment to stand unbowed so children and their families may never know the nightmare that is the world of international abduction. Peter Thomas Senese has proven time and again that he is deeply committed to his goal of preventing child abduction. There are numerous sworn testimonial letters from individuals regarding the advocacy and volunteer work that Peter does each and every day. Many of these letters are related to recovering and bringing home children who were abducted or who were targeted for abduction, however there are also several letters that share his deep desire for helping others who may be facing severe medical issues. Ultimately, each one of these sworn letters shares not only a little insight, but also a unique perspective of who Peter Thomas Senese is.

Peter has been a ‘God Send’ to my young son and me. Peter has demonstrated time and time again, not only concern for me and my family, but has been willing to assist us in whatever capacity we have requested or needed of him...

The cornerstone for all his and the renown I CARE Foundation’s work originates from Mr. Senese’s fulfillment of a promise, of which, "Chasing The Cyclone" is a part. Unquestionably, our children are well-served by its publication and the kind, compassionate, and generous assistance of Mr. Senese.

Peter Thomas Senese and The I CARE Foundation provided great assistance to me and my family due to grave risk that my young child would be re-abducted to Turkey by his biological mother, who previously abducted my son under the rules of the Hague Convention. I found Mr. Senese to be extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and committed to assisting targeted children and their families. Peter spent considerable time assisting my legal team protect my son. Under his guidance, I now know my son is safe. Peter asked for nothing other than that one day I help other parents who are targeted for abduction the way I was. He is a true advocate whose activism has helped so many parents and children.

The Impact of Chasing The Cyclone:

Peter Thomas Senese, author of the critically-acclaimed novel 'Chasing The Cyclone,' about a father searching for his internationally abducted son, has had a far-reaching social impact. It is being called both a call-to-arms against the wide-spread epidemic of international child kidnapping, as well referred to as a blue-print on how to either prevent a child from being abducted, or how to reunite with your child. In addition, Chasing The Cyclone has enabled something remarkable: it has helped reunite children with their parents, as Peter Thomas Senese has so generously donated 100% of his author royalties to the I CARE Foundation. To quote Peter Thomas Senese, "The I CARE Foundation is actively trying to reunite other children who have been internationally abducted with their families. I think my readers have a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that when they purchase one of my novels, they are making a measurable difference in the life of a defenseless child - and that is pretty cool." So, in an effort to help us prevent international child abduction, please take a few moments and educate yourself about the WARNING SIGNS of international parental child abduction. It not only protects your children but perhaps other children you might know.... isn't that worth a few minutes of your time? If you would like to learn more about the criminal act and schemes of parental child abduction, or to download a free copy of the International Travel Child Consent Form visit the I CARE Foundation website. If an international parental child abduction is imminent or is in progress, click here. And lastly, to purchase your copy of Chasing The Cyclone, please visit Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Wishing you the best of the holiday season!