Family Court Harm and Institutional Betrayal with Dr. Elizabeth Dalgarno

DescriptionIn this episode of Perfect Prey, I’m joined by Dr. Elizabeth Dalgarno, founder and director of the SHERA Research Group and lecturer in public health at the University of Manchester. Dr. Dalgarno’s work focuses on the global harms caused by family court systems and the institutional abuse experienced by women and children navigating these legal processes.Through SHERA’s groundbreaking research, Dr. Dalgarno and her international team have documented how family court engagement can produce profound health consequences for protective parents and children. Their studies reveal a disturbing pattern: when abuse is reported, mothers are frequently accused of “parental alienation,” their credibility is questioned, and the legal system often becomes an extension of the abuse rather than a source of protection.Together, we explore how coercive control continues after separation, how courts can become tools of post-separation abuse, and why the health impacts of family court trauma are still largely ignored by institutions responsible for protecting families.What we coverThe mission and global research of the SHERA Research GroupHow family court systems create institutional betrayal for survivorsThe health consequences of family court trauma for women and childrenThe “blueprint” pattern many protective parents experience after reporting abuseWhy parental alienation frameworks often silence abuse disclosuresThe concept of malicious fracturing of attachmentHow coercive control continues through legal systems after separationWhy systemic reform is necessary to protect children and survivorsWhy listenIf you are a survivor, protective parent, clinician, researcher, attorney, or advocate, this episode offers crucial insight into how family court systems can perpetuate harm rather than stop it. Dr. Dalgarno’s research provides evidence-based documentation of what protective parents have been saying for decades—and highlights why systemic reform is urgently needed.Guest bio (short)Dr. Elizabeth Dalgarno is the founder and director of the SHERA Research Group, a global collective studying the health impacts of institutional abuse within family court systems. She is a lecturer in public health at the University of Manchester, where she teaches global women’s public health and health system challenges. Her research focuses on the intersection of coercive control, institutional harm, and the health consequences experienced by women and children navigating family courts worldwide.Learn more about SHERA ResearchInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherafamily_Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/sherafamilyBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sherafamilySubstack: Still Not Safe – Dr. DalgarnoConnect with Dr. ChristineProtective Parenting Program:https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/Official site:https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videosTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrolInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/Books:https://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBookhttps://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDayIf this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe to Perfect Prey, and consider leaving a review. Your support helps other survivors and protective parents find validation and clarity.— Dr. Christine Cocchiola & guest Dr. Elizabeth Dalgarno