DARVO

Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender. Identified by psychologist Jennifer Freyd. When someone is confronted about harmful behavior, they: deny it happened, attack the person confronting them, and then position themselves as the real victim. Common in abusive dynamics, but also appears in milder forms in ordinary conflict. Knowing the pattern makes it much easier to recognize and name.

Origin

Jennifer Freyd, 1997