I learned a new acronym today: DARVO

[IcyPeas]

DARVO is an acronym for "deny, attack, and reverse victim and offender". It refers to a reaction [that alleged] perpetrators of wrongdoing, particularly sexual offenders, may display in response to being held accountable for their behaviour.[1] Some researchers and advocates have indicated that it can be as a common manipulation strategy of psychological abusers.[2][3][4] An abuser (or alleged abuser) denies the abuse ever took place, attacks the person that alleged abuse (often the victim) for attempting to hold the abuser (or alleged abuser) accountable for their actions, and claims that they are actually the victim in the situation, thus reversing what may be a reality of victim and offender.[2][4] It often involves not just "playing the victim" but also victim blaming.

The acronym and the analysis it is based on are the work of the psychologist Jennifer Freyd, whose webpage links to an article explaining that the first stage of DARVO, denial, involves gaslighting.[2][3][4]

Jennifer Freyd writes:

... I have observed that actual abusers threaten, bully and make a nightmare for anyone who holds them accountable or asks them to change their abusive behavior. This attack, intended to chill and terrify, typically includes threats of law suits, overt and covert attacks on the whistle-blower's credibility, and so on. The attack will often take the form of focusing on ridiculing the person who attempts to hold the offender accountable. ... [T]he offender rapidly creates the impression that the abuser is the wronged one, while the victim or concerned observer is the offender. Figure and ground are completely reversed. ... The offender is on the offense and the person attempting to hold the offender accountable is put on the defense.

Alleged examples of DARVO in public events include:
...
The behavior of former United States President Donald Trump in defending himself against sexual harassment allegations, as well as in defending himself against allegations of his other wrongdoings.[7][8][9][10]

[Wounded Bear]

1. It's how repubs weaponize their projections...nt

[SunImp]

7. Not just Republicans unfortunately

[Wednesdays]

8. "Both sides do it," huh?

[FoxNewsSucks]

12. Do you have any examples of liberals who do that?

[SunImp]

13. Governor Coumo

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/05/nyregion/cuomo-accusers-alphonso-david-roberta-kaplan.html

https://apnews.com/article/cuomo-accusers-what-they-said-1ba523f86e0eec2427c1dd7e87556612

[FoxNewsSucks]

14. Thank you,

he's not the most liberal, but that and the covid response hurt the perception of liberal politicians and gave ammo to the right.

[Warpy]

18. Yeah, my ex

he wasn't sexual abuser, just a common garden variety drunk.

This behavior is as common in addicts as it is in men with a sexual screw loose or rich men who think their money entitles them to violate both law and decency.

My ex was and is a good lefty. I'm glad to say he finally got sober.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Crap like that makes for a mess in court

[Silent3]

3. Isn't the pretty much saying "act as if you've been falsely accused"?

The problem with codifying this as a symptom of what a malicious, guilty person does is that it's pretty much the same behavior that is perfectly justifiable from a person who has indeed been falsely accused. If you're falsely accused, you are the victim, and the accuser is the perpetrator.

What would be more interesting, if the research exists, is to tease apart differences between how a person acts when falsely accused vs. when they are lying to protected themselves and have been justifiably accused.

[reACTIONary]

11. +10 nt

[ShazzieB]

19. I'd bet anything somebody has studied that.

Haven't read about any such studies, but there are people in forensic psychology who have made a study of how to tell when someone is lying. This would be a subset of that.

[uponit7771]

21. I don't read it as such, a person can't' "deny" recorded behavior for instance. I'm talking about ..

... seeing this in people who have documented behavior they're denying such as lying often or breaking things.

[Faux pas]

4. Kickin'

[Brainfodder]

5. I don't know them, I take pictures with a lot of people, I couldn't possibly be a horrible criminal!

He got me coffee, I don't know him.

[brush]

6. Thanks. It's a new one on me too. Haven't encountered it...

in writing yet. How often have you seen it?

[IcyPeas]

25. the acronym apparently was being used a lot during the Depp vs Heard court case

I didn't watch any of that trial. but I think they were both blaming each other, so I could see how it would apply.

[BOSSHOG]

9. BLAME YOUR ENEMY FOR WHAT YOU DO. Joseph Goebels

[frogmarch]

10. PWAAAC

I watch a lot of true crime documentaries, and I see this defense a lot: the Perpetrator Was Abused As A Child defense.

[Xipe Totec]

15. Is that the cops? I'm the innocent victim here!

[Midnight Writer]

16. Thanks. I had not seen this.

[DallasNE]

17. Example II

Vladimir Putin.

Just look as the BS he is constantly putting out. You can't believe a word he says.

[uponit7771]

20. K&R,

[calimary]

22. DARVO.

DARVO
(or how people try to escape accountability)
Deny the behavior
Attack the individual doing the confronting
Reverse the roles of Victim and Offender
The perpetrator assumes the victim role and turns
the true victim (or the whistle blower) into an alleged
offender / attacker by trying to undermine their
credibility through false accusations.

Most interesting.

[Pacifist Patriot]

23. Anyone who has seen Disney's "Lady and the Tramp"...

knows exactly what this looks like. Those Siamese cats. I often use that film to illustrate this tactic with young people because it is a simple and visible representation that resonates with children without having to go too dark.

[live love laugh]

24. REPUBLICAN M. O.