Organizations fighting against child sexual abuse, survivors of sexual abuse in childhood and adolescence, protective mothers, law students and teachers, as well as organizations defending the rights of children and adolescents have expressed their repudiation of the First Congress on Parental Alienation and Domestic Violence, scheduled for November 14 and 15 in the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Law at UBA.
In a joint statement, these entities highlighted that the event promotes pseudo-theories not scientifically supported, rejected by national and international bodies such as FEPRA, UN, UNICEF, and the National Advocacy for the Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents, among others. This congress is pointed out as an instance that endorses the so-called Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS), considered a tool used by abusive parents to defend themselves against accusations.
The protest will take place with a scarf rally and open radio on Thursday, November 14 at 5:30 PM at the entrance of the Faculty of Law at UBA. The call to action includes slogans such as "I do believe you!" and "Stop covering for abusers!", rejecting these re-victimizing perspectives that affect children and adolescents, as well as criminalizing protective references.
The PAS, created by psychiatrist Richard Gardner in 1985, has been dismissed by the international scientific community as a fallacy that seeks to hinder the protection of minors' rights. This syndrome, used in judicial contexts by parents accused of serious violence or abuse, has been criticized for validating inappropriate behavior and discrediting abuse allegations.
In light of the persistence of this false syndrome, various associations have expressed their concern and rejection of the congress that promotes it. In an open letter to the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Leandro Vergara, concern is raised that the event may favor the dissemination of information harmful to the protection of minors, contradicting positions held by organizations such as UNICEF and the National Advocacy for the Rights of Children.
In this context, both the academic community and social organizations have raised their voices against the realization of a congress that supports discredited and re-victimizing theories, seeking to protect minors from possible abuses and judicial manipulations.
