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Brainwashing
Tactics in Domestic Violence
Uzma Mazhar
"Most people who brainwash...use
methods similar to those of prison guards who recognize that physical
control is never easily accomplished without the cooperation of the
prisoner. The most effective way to gain that cooperation is through
subversive manipulation of the mind and feelings of the victim, who then
becomes a psychological, as well as a physical, prisoner."
Amnesty International publication, "Report on
Torture"…brainwashing of prisoners of war
Typically, before any form of physical abuse begins, victims are subjected
to brainwashing over a period of time.
Brainwashing takes on a whole different meaning when done by
someone you love as compared to the politically motivated brainwashing
done by strangers, who you know are your enemy.
However the parallels with standard political brainwashing are
there.
Some of the
commonly used tactics in brainwashing are:
Isolation
- not unlike prisoners the victims in an abusive home are deprived of
social support of family and friends.
This undermines their ability to maintain self-esteem/ self-worth,
as well as doing a reality-check, resulting in an inability to resist. The victims develop an intense concern with self, worrying
and doubting their ability to know what is right from wrong.
This makes the victims dependent upon the interrogator or abusive
spouse.
Enforcing Trivial Demands - Develops habits of compliance. - fixes
attention upon immediate predicament by often creating chaos.
Abusers frustrate all actions not consistent with compliance.
Abusers
insist on compliance with trivial demands related to all facets of life:
food, clothing, money, household arrangements, children, and conversation.
Deprivation
Resulting in reduced ability to function, exhaustion that weakens
mental and physical ability to resist.
Sleep deprivation caused by arguing through the night. Exhaustion
makes it more difficult to counter the accusations of the abuser. Victims
often end up agreeing to things they never would under normal conditions.
Threats
In the initial phase of violence only threats are used, this cultivates
anxiety, fear and despair. This also
creates the impression that you are the cause of the problem and you are
the one making the abuser do what he/she does, ie: explode. Threats
are a form of emotional blackmail to make the person comply through
intimidation.
Occasional Indulgences
Provides motivation for compliance minimizing the perception of abuse, ie:
he is not all bad. Hinders adjustment to deprivation by making you feel he
is doing special favors for you, so how can you see him as an abuser who
doesn't have your welfare in mind.
Demonstrating Omnipotence
Suggests futility of resistance, nothing you can do will work.
Creates the impression of the abuser as powerful and abused as weak.
Debilitates your strengths.
Degradation & Criticism
Makes cost of resistance appear more damaging to self than capitulation.
Reduces prisoner to animal level concerns. Damages the core of the
person's being and worth. Creates self-doubts. Everything you
do is wrong, not good enough.
When
all these methods are combined, these tactics are powerful and difficult
to resist, especially over a long period of time.
The victim progressively becomes weaker and unable to defend
herself.
Sources:
Diane Russell "Rape
in Marriage"
Biderman's Chart of Coercion
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