Note: Its rare to see an article like this published anywhere. Usually all we see are the ones pertaining to "deadbeat dads".
With approximately 11.5 million non-custodial men as parents compared to approximately 2.7 million non-custodial women as parents, I find it interesting that the largest percentage of non-custodial parents that don't pay their child support are mothers, according to the 2005 census bureau.
Considering that there are of 8.8 million more non-custodial fathers than mothers, you would think the largest percentage of non-payers would be fathers.
Wouldn't that make the largest percentage of "deadbeat parents" mothers???? Hmmm????
Child support. It stirs deep emotions that often erupt, especially when someone isn't paying. Typically we think of deadbeat dads, but times are changing.
Catherine Barningham, 40, was arrested on a warrant for owing around $12,000 in child support. She says, "My ex-husband has a girlfriend whose mission in life is to track me down."
Gloria Cales is a Phoenix divorce lawyer. "I think with times changing, so that more and more women are going to be the payers of child support, that we're going to have the same thing where we have deadbeat moms," she says.
Most of her cases with deadbeat moms involve women who've lost custody because of an addiction to drugs or alcohol.
"There are women who walk away from their children just like there are men who walk away from their children," says Cales. "Women are now increasing their status in the job market, so they're increasing their ability to earn therefore increasing their ability to pay child support because it's based upon what you earn."
Sheriff Joe Arpaio posts a Hall of Shame webpage listing deadbeat parents. Only a small percentage is women -- more fathers than mothers owe child support.
But Census Bureau stats show the sexes are similar in one way. In 2005, 25 percent of men due child support did not receive payments from their exes. 22 percent of woman also didn't receive payments.
Dr. Everett Bailey at Psychological Counseling Services has worked with parents who aren't paying their child support.
"The headlines that we see talk about men not paying their child support, but often we don't see the same attention being given to women or mothers," he says. "Men probably feel that there's a double standard."
Barningham says she can't afford child support and a court denied her request for smaller payments. In June, she wrote on a financial affidavit that she earned about $2,300 a month with about the same in expenses.
Eight to 10 percent of Arizona parents paying child support are women. Some of the main reasons parents are not paying is because they lost their jobs or took pay cuts. The Department of Economic Security says it enforces child support court orders no matter the gender.
Source:
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/only_on_fox/child_support_deadbeat_moms_11_09_2009
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4 comments:
I hope they start putting these women in jail. Feminist groups will admittedly start lobbying against imprisoning non-payers for inability to pay if more women are being imprisoned.
ID, Yah buddy, It'll be interesting to see how they rationalise that only men should be jailed, and why the balance has been so one sided for so long. The worm is turning
I think it's sad for both parents and especially the children. First of all child support enforcement is motivated only by money. They couldn't care less about the children. The whole family court system is a waste and detrimental to many familes. Children deserve both of their parents. The courts allow one parent to viciously attack the other often committing perjury with no consequence, usually the parent who really couldn't care less about the child. If they did they wouldn't want to deprive their child of the other. The judges often ignoring the best interest of the child standard are allowing, participating and often promoting this judicial misconduct. Where I live in Stafford VA whoever has the money wins the kid and ultimately the kid loses. In my case I was forced from a good job in the finance indusrty,(if I wished to continue visitation I had to quit), and had my child support increased more than 3 times. The judge imputed my prior real estate income even though the market had collapsed. They just throw you so deep into a dark hole many people just give up. Is it really in a childs best interest to lose one of their parents? Maybe if the courts and DCSE used just a little common sense there wouldn't be deadbeat parents sitting in jail. Maybe the courts should just get out of our lives and stop promoting the destruction of families.
Sherry
I couldn't agree with you more Sherry.
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