The Silent Trap: How Narcissists Exploit Reactive Abuse to Play the Victim and Destroy Their Targets In and Out of Family Court

Dec 01, 2024

∙ Paid

A powerful illustration depicting a courtroom scene where one person, a calm but distressed individual, is isolated in the foreground with a shadow of chains symbolizing manipulation. In the background, another individual with a smug expression is speaking to a judge, holding a mask of innocence. The atmosphere is tense and emotionally charged, with a child in the distance looking torn between the two figures. The color palette is a mix of grays and muted tones to symbolize despair, contrasted with sharp shadows to emphasize the manipulation theme.

Reactive abuse is one of the most insidious tactics in the arsenal of a narcissistic abuser. It occurs when a victim, after enduring relentless emotional or psychological provocation, reacts in a way that the narcissist can frame as abusive. This twisted strategy flips the narrative, allowing the true abuser to play the victim and gain sympathy while fu…

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