Taylor Day – Have you sensed a pattern in the way stories like Jussie Smollett’s hoax or the Covington kids’ confrontation take over your social media?  Do you read or listen to the news regularly, wondering in advance how each story can be spun?  Is it increasingly frustrating to see facts distorted to bolster hate and fear?  Have you been aware of pain you feel as you watched loved ones being fed lies by sources they trust?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are the victim of emotional and philosophical warfare.  There is a type of hostile tactic that’s been given a new name: DARVO.

I reached out to Jeff Giesea, an entrepreneur and information warfare expert based in Washington, D.C.  He describes DARVO as “a tactic of abusers when confronted where they deny, attack, and then shift blame.  The term came from studies of emotional abuse and sexual trauma, but DARVO behavior shows up in many contexts.”  He also views it as “a form of psychological warfare.” Continue reading →