I am writing this petition not only for myself, but for countless parents and children who are suffering in silence within the New York family court system.

Every day, many children are exposed to emotional and psychological harm that is difficult to prove but devastating in its impact. My own child is experiencing this reality. I watch the light in their eyes slowly dim as they endure emotional trauma inflicted by a parent whose behavior fits a pattern widely described by survivors and experts as narcissistic abuse.

Despite repeatedly raising concerns in court, these patterns are often dismissed or misunderstood. As a result, children remain trapped in harmful environments while the protective parent struggles to be heard.

In family courtrooms, patterns of coercive control and psychological abuse frequently go unrecognized. Because these forms of abuse often leave no visible bruises, they are easier to deny, manipulate, and hide. This allows abusers to distort narratives, weaponize the legal process, and maintain control through the court system itself.

Many survivors and experts describe this pattern as narcissistic abuse — a form of psychological manipulation involving gaslighting, coercion, emotional domination, and the systematic undermining of the other parent. While the term is widely used by psychologists and survivors, courts often fail to recognize the underlying pattern of coercive control that defines it.

The consequences for children are profound. Research has shown that long-term exposure to psychological abuse and coercive control can have lasting impacts on a child’s emotional development, mental health, and sense of safety.

For immigrant parents, the situation can be even more devastating. Navigating an unfamiliar legal system while facing manipulation and psychological abuse creates an additional layer of vulnerability. Many immigrant parents do not fully understand their legal rights, court procedures, or how to properly present evidence of coercive control.

In some cases, parents may unknowingly make decisions early in the process based on cultural values, trust, or lack of information. With inadequate legal representation or limited understanding of the system, narratives can become established in court that continue for years, sometimes leading to devastating custody outcomes before the parent even fully understands what is happening.

This gap in understanding allows abusive dynamics to continue unchecked.

New York must take meaningful steps to address this problem.

Family courts should be equipped to recognize and respond to patterns of coercive control and psychological abuse, including behaviors commonly described as narcissistic abuse.

We call on New York lawmakers to:

• Provide specialized training for family court judges, attorneys, and court personnel on coercive control and psychological abuse

• Allow documented patterns of coercive control to be considered meaningful evidence in custody determinations

• Ensure family courts prioritize the long-term emotional well-being of children when evaluating custody and visitation arrangements

• Provide accessible legal information and multilingual resources for immigrant parents navigating family court

• Support advocacy programs that help parents safely document and present evidence of psychological abuse

• Recognize that immigrant parents may enter the legal system with limited knowledge of their rights and ensure safeguards exist so cultural differences and lack of familiarity with the legal process are not exploited

Children deserve protection not only from physical violence, but also from the invisible forms of abuse that can shape their lives for years.

The current system must evolve to recognize these realities.

Join us in urging New York lawmakers to reform family court policies so that coercive control and narcissistic abuse are properly understood, addressed, and prevented.

Our children deserve a system that sees the full picture and acts to protect their future.

Please sign this petition to demand meaningful reform in New York’s family court system.