Abuse Deniers: U.N. Report Seeks to Cover-Up the Emotional Abuse of Children

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Contact: Mike Buchanan

Telephone: +44 7967 026163

Abuse Deniers: U.N. Report Seeks to Cover-Up the Emotional Abuse of Children

July 3, 2023 – Emotional abuse of children is one of the most severe forms of child abuse (1), both because it is widespread and because it does not leave any physical marks, making detection difficult. The most severe form of emotional child abuse is parental alienation, in which one parent denigrates the other in an attempt to damage the child’s relationship with the other parent.

The long-lasting effects of parental alienation are revealed by a woman who became alienated from her father at the age of nine: “I’ve spent most of my childhood, adolescence, and teenage years grappling with self-esteem issues, anxiety, depression, eating issues, difficulty managing relationships, trust issues.” (2)

The extent of parental alienation is revealed by these facts:

A survey found that 32% of parents in Canada and 35% of parents in the United States feel alienated from their children (3).
Parental alienation is an “equal opportunity” problem that affects both fathers and mothers (4).
In nearly 1,200 trial and appellate cases, judges have ruled that evidence of possible parental alienation was relevant and admissible (5).

Despite the fact that hundreds of research studies conducted in 32 countries around the world confirm the problem of parental alienation (6), a proposal, currently being considered by the U.N. Human Rights Council, actually denies the existence of this serious form of emotional child abuse.

The report, “Custody, Violence Against Women and Violence against Children” (7) categorically denies the existence of parental alienation. Without citing a single scientific study, the document describes parental alienation as a “discredited and unscientific pseudo-concept.”

Not surprisingly, the HRC document has become a source of consternation and outrage among child advocates. Over 4,800 persons have signed a petition charging the report carries a “high risk for consequential harm,” and calling for a public inquiry into the truthfulness of the document’s claims (8).

The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance urges lawmakers around the world to contact the HRC President, Václav Bálek at mission.geneva@embassy.mzv.cz , or their representative at the Human Rights Council and express their strong opposition to the proposal.

The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance – DAVIA — consists of 98 member organizations from 33 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. DAVIA seeks to ensure that domestic violence and abuse polices are family-affirming, science-based, and sex-inclusive. https://endtodv.org/davia/

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