| Family is the essence of life. Maintaining the core of | | | | pre-school, pre-teens, and teens written by experts. |
| the family is as basic as life gets. But, right wing | | | | Parents in Adult News section offers recent news |
| politicians, conservative religious zealots and even | | | | stories about the struggles parents in the adult |
| family members can threaten adult industry workers | | | | industry face with lifestyle opposition from relatives, |
| with the loss of custody of their children. How can | | | | in-laws, government agencies, and the courts. |
| they do this? | | | | Legal Spotlight will offer articles written by lawyers |
| Government agencies are empowered to "protect | | | | and legal experts. |
| the welfare of minor children from physical, mental, | | | | Attorney Directory will offer a list of nationwide |
| and emotional abuse". The powers granted to these | | | | sympathetic attorneys. |
| agencies permit them (with the aid of local police) to | | | | Resources include links to liberal organizations (ACLU, |
| remove children from their homes; seek court orders | | | | Free Speech Coalition) and parenting links (Dr. Spock |
| to place the children in foster homes or terminate all | | | | and Parenting.com). |
| parental rights. | | | | Articles cover important topics like unfounded child |
| Family courts decide whether to remove children | | | | abuse cases, myths of the adult industry, and curbing |
| from homes, limit parental visitations, place children in | | | | the power of state agencies. |
| foster homes or state institutions, or terminate | | | | While this website is a good idea, it has shortcomings. |
| parental rights. | | | | News stories are old like the 2003 article from the |
| Divorce courts determine which parent has sole | | | | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about how a former stripper |
| custody of their children, or decide upon joint | | | | regained custody of her 8-year-old son after losing |
| custody with set visitation rights. | | | | him to the paternal grandparents for 15 months. The |
| Outsiders challenging parental rights include relatives, | | | | most recent News posted was dated 2006. |
| grandparents, and in-laws of the children. Anyone can | | | | Several click here buttons did not work, such as, |
| complain to a government child protection agency. | | | | history article, membership, sponsors, attorney |
| Relatives can file a lawsuit with a family court | | | | directory, community boards, and legal spotlight. Since |
| challenging the fitness of parents and petition for the | | | | this organization began in 2004, one would expect |
| custody of children. | | | | better links and updated content. |
| Are You A "Fit" Parent? | | | | In spite of these shortcomings, useful information is |
| What is the definition of a "Fit" parent? No state law | | | | available on their website. |
| or court case has ever defined what a "Fit" parent is. | | | | How to Win a Child Custody Challenge |
| Instead, courts attempt to define an "Unfit" parent. | | | | The Best Interests of the Child is the legal standard |
| Unfit parents come in different categories: | | | | all of these laws, court cases, and government |
| Parents who physically abuse their children by causing | | | | agencies abide by. What does it mean? Many family |
| bodily harm are considered unfit. | | | | law firms and child psychologists emphasize the |
| Parents who cause mental or emotional harm to their | | | | following guidelines, which judges look at when |
| children are also unfit. | | | | deciding what is best for the child: |
| Parents who actually cause or allow others to | | | | Time - How much time do the parents spend with |
| sexually abuse their children are unfit as well. | | | | their children? Are they so busy as to neglect their |
| Failure to allow proper medical treatment whether | | | | children of parental love and care? |
| because of religious or cultural beliefs have resulted in | | | | Money - Do the parents have the financial resources |
| courts finding the parents to be unfit. | | | | to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, education, |
| Neglect by not properly housing, clothing, feeding, or | | | | and health care? Must the state intercede to provide |
| educating their children will get you labeled as an unfit | | | | assistance with any of these necessities of life? |
| parent. | | | | Stability - Moving children to different homes often |
| Lifestyle is another area where claims of child abuse | | | | traumatizes them by losing friends and adjusting to |
| or neglect occur. Parents who are nudists or who | | | | new environments. |
| work with adult entertainment industries can be | | | | Neglect - Even if parents earn good incomes, do not |
| exposed as "unfit parents" by religious conservatives, | | | | move homes often, and spend lots of time with their |
| family value politicians, nosey neighbors, and relatives. | | | | children; if they neglect the necessities, emotional and |
| Are there any groups or organizations providing | | | | mental needs, courts consider them unfit. |
| assistance against challenges of unfit parents due to | | | | Abuse - Have parents physically, emotionally, or |
| legal "Lifestyle" choices? | | | | sexually abused their children? Have they allowed |
| PARENTS IN ADULT (PIA) is a support group | | | | others to abuse their children? |
| dedicated towards helping parents who work in the | | | | Legal lifestyles of the parents often are not directly |
| adult industry. PIA provides adult industry parents | | | | challenged, but used as an excuse to claim that one |
| with help, support and answers with parenting and | | | | or some of the five above conditions occurred. How |
| custody issues. | | | | do you defend against such lifestyle challenges? |
| Parents in Adult started because of adult industry | | | | Proof of being "Unfit" |
| owners' personal experience with a child custody | | | | Rather than you having to prove you are "Fit", |
| battle in the courts. Tracey Potoski (also known as | | | | challengers must prove the parents are "unfit". The |
| Brandi Love) and her husband Chris (co-owners of | | | | courts rely on Experts like psychiatrists, |
| NakedRhino Media) successfully fought off attempts | | | | psychologists, medical doctors, family counselors, and |
| by their families to remove their 5-year-old daughter | | | | clergy. The defense can hire their own experts to |
| from their home. The allegations of child abuse were | | | | testify their lifestyle choices do not harm their |
| solely based on their adult industry lifestyle. | | | | children's well being. |
| NakedRhino Media in partnership with AVN (AVN.com) | | | | In conclusion, government agencies, family courts, |
| formed Parents in Adult in 2004 as a response to the | | | | parents filing for divorce, and even outsiders can |
| Potoski child custody battle. | | | | dispute your parental rights. They will try to find |
| PIA website (ParentsInAdult.com) offers resources | | | | experts to testify that you, the parents are not "fit". |
| for the unique parenting challenges while involved in | | | | Your best defense against these challenges is your |
| the adult industry. Their Progressive Parenting section | | | | lifestyle with your kids. It would be wise to create a |
| offers child developmental expert advice and articles | | | | lifestyle with your children that establishes a history |
| with provoking insights of parenting of toddlers, | | | | of you as fit and shows that to your world. |