gaslighting

In domestic violence cases, whether in protective order hearings or during a trial, the term “gaslighting” is often used to describe a pattern of behavior in which the defendant’s denial of wrongdoing actually furthers the abuse. In reality, gaslighting IS a form of abuse, and if you do it to your partner, the state gives your partner recourse against you. But in this day and age, if you’re accused of domestic violence, false allegations of “gaslighting” can actually strengthen an unfair case against you. Let’s delve deeper into the subject of gaslighting–what the term means, how it can further a pattern of abuse, and how it could even be used against you in a domestic violence case.

What is Gaslighting?

In California, domestic violence is defined as abuse committed against an intimate partner, cohabitant, or family member. This abuse can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, economic, and psychological abuse. “Gaslighting” is a type of psychological abuse in which the abuser attempts to make the victim doubt their own perceptions, memories, and even sanity in order to keep the victim under their abusive control. The term “gaslight” comes from a British stage play Gas Light, later remade into the famous film Gaslight starring Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman, in which a husband uses trickery to convince his wife she is losing her mind.

Being arrested on suspicion of domestic violence can be highly disruptive to your life—and of course, being the victim of domestic violence is nothing short of traumatic. But what happens when you are both a victim of domestic violence and the person accused of it—at the same time? What if the alleged victim and the defendant are one and the same person—and that person is you?

It doesn’t happen that often—but it does happen. When domestic violence occurs, we typically assume there is one perpetrator and one victim. One person gets hurt, the other one gets arrested and charged. In the majority of DV cases, this assumption holds true—but on occasion, someone who has been attacked in a domestic violence dispute may actually be arrested and possibly charged as a perpetrator. Let’s talk about the complexities of these types of cases, the circumstances in which they may occur, and what you can do about it if you find yourself in this undesirable situation.

How Can Domestic Violence Victims Also Be Charged?

Articles Tagged with gaslighting

The Impact of “Gaslighting” in Domestic Violence Situations

What is Gaslighting?

When You Are Both a Victim and a Defendant in a Domestic Violence Dispute