Gelles, R.J. (1980)

Despite a lack of scholarly research, official statistics, or attempts to estimate the extent of the problem of child abduction by one parent, there are some commonly accepted ‘facts’ frequently cited by those familiar with the problem of child abduction. It is estimated that there are between 25,000 to 100,000 children abducted by a parent each year; that 60 to 70 percent of abductions occur before a custody decree is issued; that the frequency of child abduction is increasing.

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