Manipulation strategy against women: do you know what DARVO is?

The DARVO dynamic is often linked to contexts of physical and psychological abuse against women, sexual crimes and homophobia

DARVO is an acronym that describes a person’s reaction to accusations or criticism. This dynamic is often linked to contexts of physical and psychological abuse against women, sexual crimes and homophobia. However, it is not limited to these specific scenarios and can occur in other situations where individuals are faced with unfavorable situations.

The term DARVO represents a strategy which, translated into Portuguese, means: deny, attack and reverse victim and attacker (in English: deny, attack and reverse the victim and the perpetrator). It is an approach used to manipulate situations and relationships, changing the perception of guilt and responsibility. It was first observed by professor and researcher Jennifer J. Freyd in 1997.

“This can happen when a truly guilty perpetrator takes on the role of ‘falsely accused’ and attacks the credibility of the accuser and blames the accuser for being the author of a false accusation,” the researcher wrote in her DARVO research.

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The 3 phases

In the first phase of the approach, that of denial, the accused denies the occurrence of the facts or behaviors that are pointed out to him. It is a first defense strategy to discredit the accusation.

Then comes the attack, when the defendant directs criticism and blame at the plaintiff. At this stage the accused may attempt to disqualify the woman who filed the complaint, labeling her as jealous or a liar.

Finally, the victim and attacker reversal phase occurs. At this point, the accused manipulates the situation by claiming that, in reality, he is not the culprit, but the real victim. This phase is characterized by an exchange of roles, in which the accused tries to present himself as offended or harmed by the other person.

For researcher Jennifer J. Freyd and her colleague Sarah Harsey, the strategy works. Their studies revealed that exposure to a DARVO response was linked to a decrease in victim credibility and an increase in blame imposed on the victim.

“Exposure to the offender DARVO made people less likely to believe he should be disciplined or punished,” they wrote in a study on the influence of denying, attacking, and reversing victim and offender in 2023.

Jennifer J. Freyd

Researcher, psychology professor, speaker and author, Jennifer J. Freyd first introduced the term in 1997 in the study “Power Violations, Adaptive Blindness, and Betrayal Trauma Theory.” This research describes situations in which someone who is trusted or has power over another person harms or mistreats that person in some way.

“The aggressor quickly creates the impression that the aggressor is the offended party, while the victim or interested observer is the perpetrator. The perpetrator is on the offense and the person trying to hold them accountable is put on the defense,” Jennifer wrote.

Jennifer is the founder and president of the Institutional Courage Center and has also been a professor of psychology at the University of Oregon and a two-time fellow at Stanford’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.

Source: Terra

Rose

Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.