EXPLORING GASLIGHTING, AMONG MALES: STIGMA, AND THE SILENCE AROUND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE
Keywords:
Gaslighting, Psychological Intimate Partner, Violence, Stigma, Help-Seeking, Qualitative ResearchAbstract
This qualitative study examines the stigma and silence surrounding male victimisation and male experiences of gaslighting as a form of psychological abuse in intimate partner relationships. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data from semistructured interviews with men who experienced psychological and emotional abuse. The findings of the study show that gaslighting involved emotional invalidation, selective use of memory, and intentional manipulation, which culminated in self-doubt, self-blame, and psychological distress. The study reveals that stigma, self-imposed masculine norms, and the fear of being disbelieved, which results in social isolation, also results in limited help-seeking and the disclosure of abuse. Nevertheless, despite these challenges, some participants displayed increased awareness, even of the manipulation, and started to set some of their own limits. The study, therefore, reinforces the importance of acknowledging male experiences of psychological IPV and the urgent need to address the issue of psychological IPV against men and develop support services that are inclusive of all genders.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Sofia Sattar, Sidra Noreen, Ms. Raumish Masud Khan (Author)
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