New Report Exposes Feminist Misinformation about Parental Alienation

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Contact: Rebecca Hain

Telephone: +1-513-479-3335

New Report Exposes Feminist Misinformation about Parental Alienation

April 18, 2023 – One of the most severe forms of child abuse is parental alienation, in which one parent seeks to weaken and damage the child’s relationship with the other parent. The seriousness of parental alienation is revealed by these facts:

Nearly one-quarter of separated or divorced parents reported at least one of their children had been alienated from them, according to one study (1).
Hundreds of research studies confirming the existence of parental alienation have been conducted in 32 countries around the world (2).
in nearly 1,200 trial and appellate cases, judges have ruled that evidence of possible parental alienation was relevant and admissible (3).

Despite the fact that parental alienation is an “equal opportunity” problem affecting both fathers and mothers (4), feminists have taken the implausible position that parental alienation is simply a ruse of abusive fathers (5).

In order to advance this theory, Jean Mercer and Margaret Drew published a book titled, Challenging Parental Alienation: New Directions for Professionals and Parents (6). The book refers to parental alienation as a “pseudoscience” and “belief system,” and concludes that family courts should avoid use of parental alienation concepts.

Despite the existence of hundreds of studies showing that women engage in domestic violence as often as men (7), the Mercer/Drew book consistently portrays fathers as abusers, suggesting its real intent is to falsely stereotype men.

In response, the Parental Alienation Study Group and Global Action for Research Integrity in Parental Alienation recently published a rebuttal titled, A Comprehensive Review of Misinformation and Other Inaccuracies in Challenging Parental Alienation (8). The 127-page rebuttal identifies five types of misinformation in the Mercer/Drew book.

The analysis concludes, “These errors are so egregious that we believe they constitute a deliberate attempt to mislead mental health professionals, legal professionals, and parents. The misinformation contained in this book is likely to cause irreparable harm to children and families.”

Lawmakers and policy-makers around the world are urged to reject the false claims of the Mercer/Drew book, and support local observances of International Parental Alienation Awareness Day on April 25.

The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance – DAVIA — consists of 83 member organizations from 32 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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