Fathers are accused by family court when pregnant partners use substances

Abstract

A new study has found that, in some states, fathers lose their parental rights, and legal orphans are created, when fathers are accused of allowing their pregnant partners to use alcohol or drugs. The worst offenders in terms of numbers of cases are New York and Texas, according to the report, issued June 17 by National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW). “Harming Fathers: How the Family Court System Forces Men to Regulate Pregnancy” analyzes and documents dozens of cases across the country in which men have been labeled as abusive or neglectful for not controlling the behavior of their partners during pregnancy. The first analysis of this kind, the report identifies 56 cases in 14 states where a prospective father's inability to stop a pregnant partner from using alcohol or drugs has constituted civil child abuse or neglect on his part.