In family law, no case involving children is ever over...

Sometimes it's as obvious as a slap in the face or a kick to the ribs. …Then there's a more insidious form of abuse. Abuse by proxy. …The abuser controls and abuses the victim through a third party. Friends, family and organizations and branches of government can unwittingly become an extension of the abuser's arm.

Misuse of family court is one strategy. ... – it’s sometimes called "legal bullying" or stalking by court.

In family law, no case involving children is ever over, and circumstances change often, requiring negotiation or court order and bringing parents in frequent contact. So, when there is harassment, the pattern may not be quickly identifiable by others.

Canadian legal scholars who looked at the issue of legal bullying concluded that "The result of protracted legal bullying ... is simply that bullies win." The abuse may also be in the form of spiteful reports to child protection, tax or welfare authorities or to her employer. …
- Excerpt, column by Ginette Petitpas-Taylor,