{"id":32613,"date":"2023-08-29T09:49:45","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T08:49:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thegrouphug.com\/?p=32613"},"modified":"2023-08-25T11:38:11","modified_gmt":"2023-08-25T10:38:11","slug":"what-is-gaslighting-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thegrouphug.com\/2023\/08\/29\/what-is-gaslighting-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Is my partner gaslighting me?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Since early 2022, gaslighting has been used in a High Court ruling in the family courts for the first time ever, we\u2019ve been asked what is gaslighting in a relationship? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The term made headlines after finally being used in a family court judgment on 20 January 2022, giving it legitimacy and credibility while serving as a warning to abusers. (Thank you to Holland Family Law, Leicester for another great article!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been described as a \u2018milestone\u2019 moment across the legal profession, a moment when Mr Justice Stephen Cobb, the High Court judge who ruled on a recent case of a man accused of raping his partner and convincing her she had bipolar<\/a>, used the term gaslighting to define the man\u2019s behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is the use of the term gaslighting in the family courts so significant?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The lawyer representing the woman in this case, Dr Charlotte Proudman, said: \u201cFor too long abusers have distorted victims\u2019 realities and there has been no legal word or concept to expose it. Finally, we have one: gaslighting. Everyone should remember this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI see it happen many times in cases and it won\u2019t stop. I expect to see it used more because it single-handedly explains victims\u2019 experiences of abuse. The courts must address this. In this case, the judge also found that the partner raped and abused her and controlled her. It\u2019s a powerful judgement by a highly experienced judge and I welcome it,\u201d Dr Proudman added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I want to move to a new area and start again with my child<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The use of the term is so significant because it\u2019s the first time it has ever been used in a case of domestic abuse, and gives legitimacy and credibility to those suffering abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The case in question was shocking, with the accused convincing his partner that she had bipolar, while also raping her and controlling her. What\u2019s more horrifying is that the accused is a mental health care worker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact The Group Hug to be signposted to experts who can help<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is gaslighting?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gaslighting is defined as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cManipulating someone by making them question their very grasp of reality by forcing them to doubt their memories while pushing a false narrative of events.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family Law and the LGBTQIA community<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for what is gaslighting in a relationship? It\u2019s abuse \u2013 an extremely effective form of manipulation, where the manipulator convinces someone that they cannot trust their own perceptions of events or even their own emotions, to the point that the manipulator controls their victim\u2019s reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The victim\u2019s self-esteem, self-efficacy and trust in others is completely destroyed, leaving them in complete dependence on their manipulator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gaslighting in a relationship\u2026 the behavioural signs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many behavioural signs associated with gaslighting in a relationship, these include, but are not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n