ANCPR believes that you should be aware of what the opposition is up to.  Following is part of a document prepared by the National Organization of Women concerning "Fathers Rights", that directly concerns any non-custodial parent.  

NOW ACTION ALERT ON "FATHERS' RIGHTS"

WHEREAS organizations advocating "fathers' rights," whose members consist of non-custodial parents, their attorneys and
their allies, are a growing force in our country; and

WHEREAS the objectives of these groups are to increase restrictions and limits on custodial parents' rights and to decrease
child support obligations of non-custodial parents by using the abuse of power in order to control in the same fashion as do
batterers; and

WHEREAS these groups are fulfilling their objectives by forming political alliances with conservative Republican legislators and others and by working for the adoption of legislation such as presumption of joint custody, penalties for "false reporting" of domestic and child abuse and mediation instead of court hearings; and

WHEREAS the success of these groups will be harmful to all women but especially harmful to battered and abused women
and children; and

WHEREAS the efforts of well-financed "fathers' rights" groups are expanding from a few states into many more, sharing
research and tactics state by state; and

WHEREAS many judges and attorneys are still biased against women and fathers are awarded custody 70% of the time when
they seek it per the Association of Child Enforcement Support (ACES);

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the National Organization for Women (NOW) begin a national alert to inform
members about these "fathers' rights" groups and their objectives through articles in the National Now Times (NNT); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, as a part of this alert, NOW establish a clearinghouse for related information by sharing
with NOW state and local Chapters the available means to challenge such groups, including the current research on custody and
support, sample legislation, expert witnesses, and work done by NOW and other groups in states where "fathers' rights" groups
have been active; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW encourage state and local Chapters to conduct and coordinate divorce/custody
court watch projects to facilitate removal of biased judges; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NOW report to the 1997 National Conference on the status and result of this national
alert whereupon its continuation or expansion will be considered.
 

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