Croatia prohibits use of so-called 'parental alienation' and related concepts

SHERA applauds Croatia and thanks GREVIO, who have joined Scotland and Spain in prohibiting the use of 'parental alienation' pseudoscience against victims of abuse following a letter from GREVIO:

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In relation to child custody, visitation and safety, GREVIO requests urgent action from the Croatian authorities, or for certain measures to be taken, including that all professionals, especially those that work in the justice system, social services, and healthcare, psychology and psychiatry, are warned of the lack of any scientific basis neither for “parental alienation syndrome”, nor any other approach or principle, through which mothers who report abuse are considered “uncooperative” and “incompetent” as parents, and blamed for the poor relationship between the abusive parent and his children. As a result, we instruct you that you are obliged to apply this instruction immediately and to inform all professionals in your institution about this instruction that in official communications and the drafting of reports and opinions not to use the term “parental alienation syndrome”, nor to consider mothers who report abuse “uncooperative” or “incompetent” as parents

Croatian Ministry of Social Policy (Sept, 2023) Instruction to the Head of the Institute of Social Work, Family Centres and the Centre for Legal Guardianship

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The GREVIO letter can be found here.

Croatian Ministry of Social Policy letter of instruction can be found here.  

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