Dr. Cathy Ayoub

And these women are just relentless and they may come back into the situation when rights haven't been terminated five, six, seven years later and say, oh, here I am, I love my child. I want to do something. And if there aren't any legal protection for these children, adolescents, and even young adults, they get pulled right back into the same kinds of behavior patterns.

And these women are just relentless and they may come back into the situation when rights haven't been terminated five, six, seven years later and say, oh, here I am, I love my child. I want to do something. And if there aren't any legal protection for these children, adolescents, and even young adults, they get pulled right back into the same kinds of behavior patterns.

We're really hoping to reach out to more adult survivors. This study started 20 years ago when we had to wait. We published some current information on it, but not about the follow up. And so I think this is really important. First of all, when we look at what the children are like, you know, when they're in this situation,

We're really hoping to reach out to more adult survivors. This study started 20 years ago when we had to wait. We published some current information on it, but not about the follow up. And so I think this is really important. First of all, when we look at what the children are like, you know, when they're in this situation,

We're really hoping to reach out to more adult survivors. This study started 20 years ago when we had to wait. We published some current information on it, but not about the follow up. And so I think this is really important. First of all, when we look at what the children are like, you know, when they're in this situation,

One of the things that's really critical is they are very unlikely to acknowledge their abuse until they're separated and safe. And Judy LeBeau did a study 20 years ago. She talked to adult survivors. She literally put an ad in the paper and said, you know, do you think this might've happened to you? And she talked to folks.

One of the things that's really critical is they are very unlikely to acknowledge their abuse until they're separated and safe. And Judy LeBeau did a study 20 years ago. She talked to adult survivors. She literally put an ad in the paper and said, you know, do you think this might've happened to you? And she talked to folks.

One of the things that's really critical is they are very unlikely to acknowledge their abuse until they're separated and safe. And Judy LeBeau did a study 20 years ago. She talked to adult survivors. She literally put an ad in the paper and said, you know, do you think this might've happened to you? And she talked to folks.

And what she found was that half of them said they didn't, they were unsure that they were being abused until they really heard about this as an adult. And some perpetrators are very overt and others are much more subtle.

And what she found was that half of them said they didn't, they were unsure that they were being abused until they really heard about this as an adult. And some perpetrators are very overt and others are much more subtle.

And what she found was that half of them said they didn't, they were unsure that they were being abused until they really heard about this as an adult. And some perpetrators are very overt and others are much more subtle.

And so that's one thing about victims is that they're very confused because they're being told that they're feeling things or particularly when illness is being induced, that they're feeling things that aren't really there. So we know, for example, that sexual abuse victims have a lot of difficulty. They often will not disclose. Munchausen by proxy victims are even more likely to not disclose.

And so that's one thing about victims is that they're very confused because they're being told that they're feeling things or particularly when illness is being induced, that they're feeling things that aren't really there. So we know, for example, that sexual abuse victims have a lot of difficulty. They often will not disclose. Munchausen by proxy victims are even more likely to not disclose.

And so that's one thing about victims is that they're very confused because they're being told that they're feeling things or particularly when illness is being induced, that they're feeling things that aren't really there. So we know, for example, that sexual abuse victims have a lot of difficulty. They often will not disclose. Munchausen by proxy victims are even more likely to not disclose.

I had one case. The little girl was seven. and her mother was convicted five years after she was removed, she could not even think or say anything about her mother until she actually heard on the news that her mother was convicted. And then she finally could begin to say, you know, my mother did that to me. My mother did hurt me. So once these children are in a safe place,

I had one case. The little girl was seven. and her mother was convicted five years after she was removed, she could not even think or say anything about her mother until she actually heard on the news that her mother was convicted. And then she finally could begin to say, you know, my mother did that to me. My mother did hurt me. So once these children are in a safe place,

I had one case. The little girl was seven. and her mother was convicted five years after she was removed, she could not even think or say anything about her mother until she actually heard on the news that her mother was convicted. And then she finally could begin to say, you know, my mother did that to me. My mother did hurt me. So once these children are in a safe place,

And, you know, part of this depends on their ages, but they often then begin to show some signs of behavioral difficulties. So the other problem is particularly in a divorce situation, this child custody changes from mother to father. And all of a sudden, you know, three or four or five months later, father has a child who's got some attachment difficulties.

And, you know, part of this depends on their ages, but they often then begin to show some signs of behavioral difficulties. So the other problem is particularly in a divorce situation, this child custody changes from mother to father. And all of a sudden, you know, three or four or five months later, father has a child who's got some attachment difficulties.

And, you know, part of this depends on their ages, but they often then begin to show some signs of behavioral difficulties. So the other problem is particularly in a divorce situation, this child custody changes from mother to father. And all of a sudden, you know, three or four or five months later, father has a child who's got some attachment difficulties.