‘Shocking’ and ‘Dangerous:’ Special Rapporteur Report is Embarrassment to United Nations System

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Contact: Henry Herrera

Telephone: +1-301-801-0608

‘Shocking’ and ‘Dangerous:’ Special Rapporteur Report is Embarrassment to United Nations System

June 23, 2025 – This week the UN Human Rights Council will consider the report, “Sex-Based Violence Against Women and Girls: New Frontiers and Emerging Issues” (A/HRC/59/47), written by Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem (1).

Extensive research shows domestic violence is a global problem for which men and women are equally likely to be the perpetrators (2). But analyses have found the Alsalem report to be fundamentally deficient for its one-sided and false representation of the problem:

Susan S. Chuang, PhD, professor at the University of Guelph in Canada, highlighted that research studies show “bidirectional violence (i.e., both partners are engaging in violence against each other) remains prevalent among the various sample types (over 50%; second highest group were females initiating the abuse).” Commenting on the many inadequate footnotes, Chuang concludes, “It is truly shocking. There is not even a proper reference section.” (3)
An Artificial Intelligence analysis notes the Special Rapporteur’s report “relies heavily on outdated assumptions, ideological framing, and selective evidence.” The AI summary concludes, “This selective omission seriously undermines the report’s credibility and violates the UN’s own principles of impartiality and evidence-based policy-making.” (4)
Dads Matter in the United Kingdom condemned the Alsalem document for its “promotion of damaging myths” and “undermining the family unit.” The group concludes the HRC submission “is a dangerous and biased polemic built on a foundation of statistical manipulation, misrepresentation of scientific evidence, and a deliberate erasure of male victims of violence.” (5)

Alsalem’s “Sex-Based Violence Against Women and Girls” report is not the first time that the Special Rapporteur has drafted a document that reinvents the truth and is defamatory to men.

In 2023, Alsalem submitted to the Human Rights Council, “Custody, Violence Against Women and Violence Against Children” (6). Her report triggered global opposition, with over 5,700 persons signing a petition against her factually-deficient statement (7). As a result, the Human Rights Council refused to accept the Alsalem submission.

Special Rapporteur Alsalem is bound by the HRC Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate-Holders, which requires that Special Rapporteurs (8):

Exercise a “professional, impartial assessment of facts” (Article 3(a))
Keep in mind the “fundamental obligations of truthfulness.” (Article 3(d))
Uphold the highest standards of “impartiality, equity, honesty, and good faith.” (Article 3(e))
Seek to “establish the facts, based on objective, reliable information emanating from relevant credible sources.” (Article 6(a))
“Rely on objective and dependable facts.” (Article 8(c))

Alsalem’s violations of the Code of Conduct are substantive, numerous, and severe. Her ongoing pattern of dishonesty reveals a deficiency of oversight at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and leaves a stain on the reputation of the United Nations system.

The Human Rights Council must reject the A/HRC/59/47 submission, and UN Member-States need to address the repeated misconduct of Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem.

The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance – DAVIA — consists of 189 member organizations from 39 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/

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