DARVO

DARVO is an acronym used to describe a common strategy of abusers. The abuser will: Deny the abuse ever took place, then Attack the victim for attempting to hold the abuser accountable; then they will lie and claim that they, the abuser, are the real victim in the situation, thus Reversing the Victim and Offender. This usually involves victim blaming.[1] Some therapists see DARVO as a specific form of gaslighting.

Psychologist Jennifer Freyd wrote:

...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.[2]

Alleged examples of DARVO in public events include:

• The behavior of R. Kelly during an interview related to criminal proceedings against him for sexual abuse of minors[3]
• The behavior of President Donald Trump in defending himself against sexual harassment allegations[4]

DARVO has also been featured in popular entertainment. For example, the season 23 (2019) South Park episode Season Finale depicts a phone call between Donald Trump and Randy Marsh, in which DARVO is discussed as a strategy for Randy to defend himself.[5]