How Abusers Use the Court Systems to Cause Harm and Get What They Want

It's more common than you might think.

Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

When Shiloh Jolie filed to have her father’s surname removed earlier this year, it set off a firestorm of conversation. It was only the latest act in a years-long divorce and subsequent custody battle between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Shiloh’s motion to distance herself from her father was the symptom of a long-growing problem and the result of several accusations that had been circulating for years. Specifically, the rumors that Brad Pitt had been an abusive (or at least controlling) father.

Critics reacted quickly to Shiloh’s dropping of her father’s name. They came out in droves, most of them accusing Angelina Jolie of parental alienation and rushing to defend the “put upon” actor who was being “kept from his children.”

As the details emerged, a different picture was painted (for those paying attention).

What I’m talking about, of course, is the court battle that had been going on between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie for years. Shiloh’s name change did more than just call into question Brad Pitt’s parenting ability. It painted him as someone who was (potentially) using the legal system to draw out his divorce and control his children.