Judge Lisa Gorcyca, overhearing a supervised visitation case for the children of Omer and Maya Tsimhoni, decided to take matters into her own hands during a divorce proceeding.
Maya Tsimhoni has maintained throughout divorce proceedings that her estranged husband was abusive and that he threatened to kidnap the children. The couple’s three children, ages 15, 10, and 9, do not wish to see their father as a result. The couple’s 15-year-old son has testified that his father was violent and that he personally witnessed his father hitting his mother.
The judge, however, refused to take the children’s feelings into consideration and told them they had been brainwashed, even comparing them to Charles Manson and his former cult.
“There is no reason why you do not have a relationship with your father…Your father has never been charged with anything. Your father’s never been convicted of anything. Your father doesn’t have a personal protection order against him. ? You, young man, have got it wrong. I think your father is a great man who has gone through hoops for you to have a relationship with you.”
When the children continued to refuse a court-ordered lunch date with their father, the judge held them in contempt and remanded them to Children’s Village Juvenile Hall until they are 18 years old. The children have remained there, separated from one another and not allowed visitation from either parent, since June 24.
The judge ignored academic studies that prove that:
“Abusive parents will often use custody proceedings as a way to continue a campaign of coercion and control against a former spouse.?Studies show that 25 to 50 percent of disputed custody cases involve domestic violence.?Batterers are more likely than non-abusive fathers to seek sole custody?and just as likely as non-abusive fathers to receive custody.”
Of course, she’s also ignoring a child who maintains that he witnessed abuse by his father.
The correlations between those studies is further evidenced by the fact that:
“The father is the only one that has the power to change it. If he feels the kids learned their lesson, he could have them released. But the day after the hearing, he left for Israel for work and is not expected back for two weeks.”
The same judge denied a request by the children’s mother for an emergency hearing.
So the perpetrator of domestic violence has won. His victim is still under his control. For all of his concern for his children, they sit in a detention center waiting for him to make a decision. His estranged wife is held to his demands under the threat of losing her children permanently if she continues to fight his authority. Coercion abounds, and the mental abuse continues.
Excellent job, Judge Gorcyca.
