PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Mike Buchanan
Telephone: +44 7967 026163
Email: davia@endtodv.org
18 Countries Observe Parental Alienation Awareness Day, As Lawmakers Reject Reem Alsalem’s Anti-Science Message
April 30, 2024 – The most pernicious form of child abuse is Parental Alienation, in which one parent systematically denigrates the other parent, with the aim of severing a child’s relationship with the other parent (1). But over the past year, Reem Alsalem of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has been waging a campaign that flatly denies the existence of Parental Alienation.
Researchers estimate that 11-15% of divorces involving children lead to Parental Alienation (2). The problem of Parental Alienation has been confirmed by hundreds of research studies, and recognized by laws in Brazil, Mexico, and India (3). Dozens of judicial decisions likewise have affirmed the devastating effects of Parental Alienation (4).
But Special Rapporteur Alsalem has been claiming that allegations of Parental Alienation are merely a ruse designed to obscure acts of domestic violence (5) — a claim that is refuted by research (6). And poignant testimonies by victims leave little doubt about the long-lasting effects of Parental Alienation (7, 8).
Alsalem has carried her anti-child agenda to the UN Human Rights Council, Canada (9), the United Kingdom (10), and elsewhere.
But lawmakers have repeatedly rejected Alsalem’s message:
- Last July the Human Rights Council refused to approve her controversial report (11).
- In early April, lawmakers in Romania approved a new law designed to curb Parental Alienation (12).
- Last week, in a direct repudiation of Alsalem’s recent visit to the United Kingdom, three public figures made statements affirming the harmful effects of Parental Alienation:
- House of Lords member Baroness Butler-Sloss (13)
- House of Lords member Baroness Meyer (14)
- Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Court (15)
These statements were made as part of the global Parental Alienation Awareness Day, observed every year since 2007 on April 25.
This year, groups in 18 countries sponsored conferences, podcasts, rallies, editorials, social media campaigns, and other events designed to promote public awareness. These countries are listed at the end of this press release.
Reem Alsalem’s message is anti-science, anti-parent, and anti-child. It is deplorable that the United Nations is allowing Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem to pursue her destructive crusade.
Email: OHCHR-media@un.org
The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance – DAVIA — consists of 142 member organizations from 35 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. DAVIA seeks to ensure that domestic violence and abuse polices are science-based, family-affirming, and gender-inclusive. https://endtodv.org/davia/
Countries that Participated in the 2024 Parental Alienation Awareness Day
- Argentina:
- First International Congress on Scientific Evidence Protecting Childhood: https://observatoriodefalsasdenuncias.org/congress-scientific-evidence-protecting-childhood/
- Public awareness campaign: https://infanciacompartida.org/
- Australia: Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RoAnsKnY-I
- Bermuda: Press releases to public officials
- Bulgaria: Protest: https://www.bta.bg/bg/news/bulgaria/660469-protest-sreshtu-roditelskoto-otchuzhdenie-i-za-spodelenoto-roditelstvo-beshe-org
- Canada:
- Rallies: https://twitter.com/ParentingCanada
- Presentations to the University Alberta Law and Humanities Departments: https://twitter.com/P_Alienation/status/1783612474052546840
- Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NK__AOP__w
- Editorial: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/parental-alienation-is-a-damaging-form-of-child-abuse/article_54aa6046-fb50-11ee-aaa4-abac12e80535.html
- Dominica: Editorial: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/commentary-daddy-where-are-you/
- Germany:
- Initiative for Responsible Fatherhood: https://twitter.com/wirvaeter
- Violence Knows No Gender: https://twitter.com/MarkusWitt1973
- India:
- All Bengal Men’s Forum: Conference: https://twitter.com/FASOorg/status/1780636191735324809
- Save India Family: https://twitter.com/DaxeshVania/status/1783358236290375780/photo/1
- Ireland: Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QylhLGBJ8o
- Japan: https://twitter.com/nananananankot
- Malta:
- Poland: Public awareness campaign: https://twitter.com/Waldemar_Ryba
- Portugal:
- Spain:
- ANAVID: https://anavid.es/alienacion-parental-sap-pas-ninos-retenidos-por-progenitores-y-por-instituciones-publicas/
- Asociación Por los Derechos de los Niños Custodia Compartida Extremadura: Demonstration
- Foundation for the Defense of Mistreated Men: https://fundaciondefensahombresmaltratados.es/padres-y-sap/
- Sweden: Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY-rSKs1sQM
- Trinidad and Tobago: https://newsday.co.tt/2024/04/25/poisoning-caribbean-children/
- United Kingdom:
- Center for Male Psychology: https://www.centreformalepsychology.com/male-psychology-magazine-listings/parental-alienation-and-the-united-nations-is-gender-politics-getting-in-the-way-of-childrens-wellbeing
- Parental Alienation Awareness: https://paawareness.co.uk/parental-alienation-awareness-day/
- Parental Alienation UK: https://parentalalienationuk.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Parental-Alienation-Day-2024.pdf
- United States:
- Anti-Alienation Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_ZZi99jGBw&t=39s
- Dads and Moms of Michigan: Press release to state lawmakers
- Kids Need Both: https://kidsneedboth.org/
- National Parents Organization: Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub7aMEsvo9Q
- Parental Alienation Resource: https://www.parentalalienationresource.com/parentalalienationevents
- Media:
- Alabama: https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2024/04/15/paschal-joins-ivey-in-efforts-to-raise-awareness-on-parental-alienation/ and https://www.trussvilletribune.com/2024/04/22/moody-mayor-proclaims-parental-alienation-prevention-week/
- Puerto Rico: https://aldia.microjuris.com/2024/04/17/buscan-definir-alienacion-parental-en-procesos-de-custodia/
- California: https://www.recorderonline.com/news/parental-alienation-awareness-day-is-april-25/article_f76ee85c-fcda-11ee-a922-7b83ec05f4a4.html
- Global: https://facts.net/events/9-facts-about-national-parental-alienation-awareness-day-april-25th/
Links:
- https://endtodv.org/coalitions/davia/campaigns/parental-alienation/
- https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/avoiding-the-pitfalls-of-false-assumptions-in-parental-alienation-cases
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35653764/
- https://www.warshak.com/alienation/paslegal.html
- https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/women/sr/statements/2023-06-22-SR-VAWG-HRC53-statement.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740923003833
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcouQkdNxh4
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U54NF_mAck
- https://fvfl-vfdf.ca/webinar-recordings/Webinar_special-report.html
- https://www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for-input/2024/call-inputs-country-visit-united-kingdom-great-britain-and-northern-ireland
- https://endtodv.org/pr/reem-alsalem-must-be-held-accountable-for-her-repeated-and-severe-violations-of-the-hrc-code-of-conduct/
- https://www.agerpres.ro/viata-parlamentara/2024/04/09/camera-deputatilor-lege-privind-reglementarea-instrainarii-parintesti-ca-forma-a-violentei-psihologice–1278224
- https://twitter.com/DeboraMontesoro/status/1783234645837938819
- https://twitter.com/PAcumbria/status/1783179940399104216
- https://twitter.com/PAcumbria/status/1783225608660509151