What is it about?
Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse that’s hard to define clearly. We surveyed victim-survivors of intimate partner violence and support workers to understand how they describe experiences of gaslighting. From this, we developed a working definition and explored how it might be used in legal and policy settings.
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Why is it important?
As coercive control and non-physical abuse gain increasing recognition in law and policy, it becomes even more important to define them clearly. This work shows how definitions shape who is officially recognised as a victim, which in turn affects access to protection, justice, and support services.
Perspectives
I hope this article contributes to the ongoing global conversations about criminalising coercive control and intimate partner violence. While gaslighting has become a pop psychology buzzword and has suffered from conceptual creep, it represents a very real, ongoing, and deeply harmful form of psychological abuse. It’s important to have conversations about these terms, what they mean for victim-survivors, and how they can be translated into official recognition and support. This is a crucial step toward improving institutional and community responses to intimate partner violence.
Lilly Darke
University of Sydney
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Defining gaslighting in intimate partner violence: Insights from victim survivors and support service providers., Psychology Public Policy and Law, April 2025, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/law0000461.
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