User Reviews

The bias in this film is so blatant that PBS took the unprecedented step of agreeing to produce another film to provide balance. The analytic article "A Critique of the Scientific Basis for Key Assertions in 'Breaking the Silence: Children's Stories'" (I'd provide the URL, but IMDb doesn't allow URLs). concluded: 1) Many articles cited in support of the film contain assertions unsupported by any data, 2) In those articles that do contain research data, the data "fail to support the film's contentions, and strongly suggest contrary conclusions," 3) Two key figures in the film have made statements that raise serious questions about their ability to be objective: GWU Law Prof. Joan Meier is reported to have described herself in writing as among those "who start with an advocate's perspective," as opposed to a "neutral" perspective, and Lundy Bancroft is reported to have boasted that he was fired by the Massachusetts family courts as a domestic violence educator because of his extreme views.

Both the PBS and CPB ombudsmen panned it for it bias, with the latter writing, "It might be difficult to find a clearer breach of PBS editorial standards unless one concludes there is only one side to child and spousal abuse issues in the country's custody cases." Furthermore, the viewer's guide being distributed with the film misrepresents the research so egregiously that Murray Straus, one of the world's foremost researchers into family violence, issued a statement taking exception to the misrepresentation of his work. (Again, I'd provide the URL, but IMDb doesn't allow URLs).

Nothing like seeing a blatantly politicized and inaccurate film presented in "documentary" form... the worst since Farenheit 9/11. I like the comments from CPB and PBS ombudsmen following an investigation into its airing on PBS, an allegedly non-partisan public channel: Using the words "slanted" and "no hint of balance," in the report, CPB Ombudsman Ken A. Bode concluded, "The producers apparently do not subscribe to the idea that an argument can be made more convincing by giving the other side a fair presentation." Bode wondered whether PBS had been used as "the launching pad for a very partisan effort to drive public policy and law." If so, the documentary violates PBS' mission statement to be non-partisan and "provide multiple viewpoints." PBS's own internal ombudsman offered a separate analysis, "I thought this particular program had almost no balance…turning it…into more of an advocacy, or point-of-view, presentation." Avoid.

Unless you have been through a situation like presented in this film, you should NOT comment. This is a GREAT film. It is very truthful! All the court systems, GALS, Custody Evaluators, Attorney's, Social Workers, ETC. should watch this and really pay close attention! GREAT, GREAT FILM! For those of you that are putting this down, you need to take into consideration that this DOES happen! My children are living proof of this! It makes me sick to see all the people that are putting this film down. I would be willing to bet that most of these people are taking part in covering up abuse or are so closed minded that they don't want to believe that this is going on! OPEN your EYES! This is going on all over the United States! I will continue to pray for all the children that are in the same situation that my girls have been put through by "dad", our uneducated, arrogant and/or closed minded "professionals", the buddy system that has turned into a plague as well as the "justice" system that has no justice for our children! This has to stop!

This is a very informative documentary about children, children who have been abused and are still placed in parentage with the abuser.

Interesting that all of the negative comments seem to come from father's rights organizations, critiquing and stating it shows only one side of the issue, implying that all men are criticized in this documentary, when the fact is that abusive parents and the children who suffer at their hands is what this subject is about.

Drlawyer states it is a hatchet job. Are you saying that it is a hatchet job on abusers?

Please watch this documentary and make your own determination.

This documentary shows how a combination of junk science, mercenary "experts" and inability to obtain the necessary legal assistance to the victim can devastate the lives of those the system is supposed to protect.

The documentary show how easy it is for abusers to manipulate the system and how vulnerable the court system is to such manipulation.

It is the story of a number of children who were torn away from their mothers and handed over to abusers and child molesters on the basis of a scientifically unfounded and thoroughly debunked theory called "Parental Alienation Syndrome". The stories are told both by the mothers and by the children themselves.

It is a must see for anyone involved in child custody matters.