Vote NO on South Dakota Senate Bill 111
We have an urgent call to action - for everyone worldwide.
In South Dakota, SB 111 passed Senate Judiciary today. It will be on the Senate floor tomorrow for a vote. This bill will open the floodgates for even more collusion and corruption within the alienation industry.
Here is a template letter (or feel free to create your own).
Scroll down to the very bottom for contacts to email.
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Your Email]
[Your Phone Number]
[Date]
The Honorable [Senator’s Name]
South Dakota State Senate
500 E Capitol Ave
Pierre, SD 57501
RE: Opposition to Senate Bill 111
Dear Senator [Last Name],
I am writing to express my strong opposition to Senate Bill 111, which would permit a court to order family therapy or reunification therapy in custody or visitation disputes. While the intent behind this bill may be well-meaning, its potential consequences pose significant risks to survivors of domestic abuse and their children.
This legislation fails to adequately protect victims of domestic abuse. While the bill includes a rebuttable presumption against ordering therapy in cases where domestic abuse has been found, this safeguard is insufficient given the well-documented difficulties survivors face in proving abuse in court. Many family court proceedings fail to recognize patterns of coercive control, emotional abuse, and post-separation abuse, meaning that survivors could still be subjected to forced reunification therapy, even when it is not in the best interest of the child.
Reunification therapy, in particular, has been widely criticized for placing children in situations that could retraumatize them, especially when they have been exposed to or have suffered abuse at the hands of one parent. Forcing a child into therapy with an abuser can undermine their healing process and violate their right to safety and well-being. Additionally, placing the financial burden of therapy on protective parents, who often already struggle with financial abuse and coercion, exacerbates the power imbalance that exists in these cases.
Reunification programs and intensive treatments are touted as the solution when one parent claims that the other parent has "alienated" them however, parental alienation is a widely discredited pseudo theory that was based on the clinical observations of Richard Gardner, and not scientific evidence. It has become the number one legal strategy of abusive parents who are desperate to maintain power and control. In 2023, the UN Special Rapporteur called for family courts worldwide to eradicate this dangerous theory.
I respectfully request that you vote against Senate Bill 111. The safety and well-being of children and survivors must be paramount in all custody and visitation decisions.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Email]
[Your Phone Number]
2025 South Dakota Senate Members - Contact List
Arch Beal - Arch.Beal@sdlegislature.gov
Greg Blanc - Greg.Blanc@sdlegislature.gov
John Carley - John.Carley@sdlegislature.gov
Casey Crabtree - casey.crabtree@sdlegislature.gov
Sydney Davis - Sydney.Davis@sdlegislature.gov
Randy Deibert - Randy.Deibert@sdlegislature.gov
Helene Duhamel - Helene.Duhamel@sdlegislature.gov
Red Dawn Foster - RedDawn.Foster@sdlegislature.gov
Tamara Grove - Tamara.Grove@sdlegislature.gov
Joy Hohn - Joy.Hohn@sdlegislature.gov
Taffy Howard - Taffy.Howard@sdlegislature.gov
Amber Hulse - Amber.Hulse@sdlegislature.gov
Kevin Jensen - Kevin.Jensen@sdlegislature.gov
Chris Karr - Chris.Karr@sdlegislature.gov
Steve Kolbeck - Steve.Kolbeck@sdlegislature.gov
Mark Lapka - Mark.Lapka@sdlegislature.gov
Liz Larson - Liz.Larson@sdlegislature.gov
Sam Marty - Sam.Marty@sdlegislature.gov
Jim Mehlhaff - Jim.Mehlhaff@sdlegislature.gov
Paul Miskimins - Paul.Miskimins@sdlegislature.gov
Lauren Nelson - Lauren.Nelson@sdlegislature.gov
Ernie Otten - Ernie.Otten@sdlegislature.gov
Carl Perry - Carl.Perry@sdlegislature.gov
Sue Peterson - Sue.Peterson@sdlegislature.gov
Tom Pischke - Tom.Pischke@sdlegislature.gov
Tim Reed - Tim.Reed@sdlegislature.gov
Michael Rohl - Michael.Rohl@sdlegislature.gov
Stephanie Sauder - Stephanie.Sauder@sdlegislature.gov
Kyle Schoenfish - Kyle.Schoenfish@sdlegislature.gov
Jamie Smith - Jamie.Smith@sdlegislature.gov
Glen Vilhauer - Glen.Vilhauer@sdlegislature.gov
Curt Voight - Curt.Voight@sdlegislature.gov
Mykala Voita - Mykala.Voita@sdlegislature.gov
David Wheeler - David.Wheeler@sdlegislature.gov
Larry Zikmund - Larry.Zikmund@sdlegislature.gov
