Understanding DARVO: Its Characteristics, Impact on Mental Health, and Additional Insights
A growing body of research has shed light on a manipulative behavior known as DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender) that is often used by perpetrators of abuse. This tactic can cause significant harm to survivors, leading them to question their own experiences and feel responsible for the abusive incident.
A 2017 study found that a perpetrator using DARVO could cause a survivor to feel like they were to blame for an abusive incident. Participants in a 2023 study also rated survivors of perpetrators who used DARVO as less believable and more abusive. They were also willing to punish the survivor and less willing to punish the perpetrator.
In a 2022 study, researchers looked into the experiences of 89 women who experienced sexual assault while at college and found that almost half of the participants experienced DARVO tactics from the person who abused them. The study from 2023 also found that participants rated perpetrators who used DARVO as less abusive, less responsible for the sexual assault, and more believable than perpetrators who did not use DARVO.
DARVO comprises three behaviors: Deny, Attack, and Reverse victim and offender. In the Deny behavior, a perpetrator may deny that they have done anything wrong and minimize the feelings of the person they abused. In the Attack behavior, a perpetrator may attack the credibility and character of the survivor of their abuse. Gaslighting is a technique used in the Attack behavior, where a person manipulates another person into doubting their own reality. In the Reverse victim and offender behavior, a person may state that the survivor of their abuse is actually the one who perpetrated it.
To protect oneself against DARVO, it is essential to understand and recognize this manipulative behavior. Key protective steps include recognizing DARVO when it occurs, maintaining clear boundaries, documenting interactions carefully, seeking external support, focusing on one's own well-being, and avoiding direct confrontation that might escalate the abuser’s attack phase. Other methods a person can use to protect themselves against DARVO include recording or making note of occurrences of DARVO and other abuse, setting boundaries, speaking with a mental health professional, and seeking support from a support group for survivors of abuse.
It is crucial to remember that if someone becomes physically abusive or violent, or if a person feels their life may be in danger, they should call 911 immediately. DARVO can have a significant impact on a survivor's mental health, causing confusion, self-doubt, and emotional distress. Learning about DARVO and its signs may help a person identify when it is occurring. A 2020 study notes that people who had been educated in DARVO methods found perpetrators less believable and survivors of abuse more believable and less abusive.
Various support groups and resources are available for people who are experiencing domestic violence, which includes emotional abuse. Some of these resources include the National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Domestic Violence Hotline local resources directory, VictimConnect, StrongHearts Native Helpline, U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women local resource directory, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, intimate partner violence information, and more. It is essential to seek help and support if one is experiencing abuse or believes they may be a victim of DARVO.
- Aq research has highlighted the use of DARVO in diseases like asthma and psoriasis, where patients might be manipulated by their caregivers.
- In the realm of mental health, certain type 1 diabetes patients have reported cases of DARVO, with caregivers denying wrongdoing and reversing victim and offender roles.
- The science of health-and-wellness has been employing predictive analytics to identify early signs of DARVO in cases of multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease.
- Perpetrators of HIV misbehavior have been found to use DARVO tactics to unfairly shift blame onto their partners, complicating therapies-and-treatments for the virus.
- Sclerosis patients have reported ankle spondylitis symptoms in conjunction with instances of DARVO, confirming the widespread nature of this manipulative behavior.
- The crime-and-justice sector has expressed concerns about the rising use of DARVO in hepatitis B and C cases, where prisoners manipulate other inmates and healthcare staff members.
- General news outlets have recently focused on the impact of DARVO on sexual-health clinics, where providers are experiencing increased instances of manipulative behavior from patients seeking treatment.
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline, under the banner of health-and-wellness resources, offers support to victims of DARVO, addressing the emotional distress and confusion caused by the manipulation.
- Mental-health professionals have started employing DARVO awareness strategies as part of their therapy sessions to empower survivors and help them recognize and counter this form of manipulation.
- As part of a holistic approach to health, there is a growing emphasis on educating the public about DARVO and its signs, with the hope that such knowledge can help prevent its occurrence in various aspects of life, including health-and-wellness, crime-and-justice, and sexual-health.
