Thread by @CCCBuryStEd

If you follow this account, you will know it is concerned with #coercivecontrol and abuse that is #Invisibleinplainsight.
Covert abuse need not be #BehindClosedDoors- much of it, nowadays, is online and none is more deeply misunderstood than #mobbing campaigns.
THREAD

Put simply, #mobbing is bullying of an individual by a group. This can be family, peer group, school, workplace, neighborhood, community, or online.

It is almost always malicious and relies on rumor, innuendo, intimidation, humiliation, discrediting, and isolation.

Mobbing campaigns rely heavily on the reluctance of bystanders to intervene which only adds to the distress caused to the targeted individual.

One of the main reasons bystanders do nothing is because they are simply not aware of how mobbing campaigns operate.

The ringleaders behind the mobbing campaigns are very secretive.

They would never admit what they are doing. They play the “I've done nothing, it’s someone else “ card.
Their aims are:
*Character assassination
* To ensure others distance themselves from the targeted individual.

* Recruit others to abuse on their behalf ( #abusebyproxy) using information with a special significance aimed at the targeted individual, knowing that the bespoke targeting will cause immense distress.
* Inciting others to mock, goad, provoke the target into responding.

* Ringleaders will build up their network of proxies to perpetuate the falsehood that the targeted individual is the problem. It allows them to *retire* some of the original proxies who are then replaced with new proxies to keep the mobbing sustained & the abuse hidden.

The reason is to more effectively * turn the tables* and direct the abuse away from the mobbing campaign and onto the target whilst giving the impression the target is belligerent and antagonises others. Even better if the mobbing campaign has successfully provoked a reaction.

They will use that reaction to make their point that the target is THE problem, the target is abusive, harassing, stalking etc etc.
The ringleader relies on the knowledge that the target is hyper vigilant and will be aware of a smear campaign specifically targeted towards them.

BUT
Because of the bespoke nature of the abuse, not everyone will be privy to the triggers and so will be oblivious to what is going on.

The natural reaction for a victim of #mobbing is to highlight what is going on &the common response of those around the victim is disbelief.

So what often happens is the victim becomes more desperate to point out what is happening and the abusers ( the ringleader of the mobbing campaign and the proxies) use this.
They protest their innocence VERY LOUDLY.

This is key.

It is VERY LOUD and VERY disproportionate.

The aim is to make the hyper vigilant and, by now, extremely distressed target appear unstable so they can make all sorts of claims to detract from their abuse of the target.

It is at this point that often the various proxies come to light as they will come together to discuss HOW abusive target of THEIR campaign is, to give the impression that there are many who are shocked by the behaviour of the target ( ie the victim) to change the narrative.

All too often, the goading/inciting that has provoked a reaction gets lost because the focus is on the VICTIM’S REACTION to the provocation. The proxies will comment INCESSANTLY on it.
This will be shared widely and copiously to *drown out* THEIR part in this campaign.

It is the reason why most victims of #mobbing campaigns are silenced & why most observers are reluctant to wade in.
They understand that to intervene is to become a target themselves, which they want to avoid- at all costs-especially if there are reputations that can be harmed.

The result is that, in order to avoid being drawn in to the nastiness, observers will either distance themselves or will blame the victim of the mobbing campaign for responding & continuing to draw attention to the abuse.

THE VICTIM ENDS UP BEING BLAMED FOR THEIR OWN ABUSE!

THIS silencing is, crucially, still deeply misunderstood and, in order to understand abuse that is invisible in plain sight, it is imperative that this is understood not just by police and the courts but also by society as a whole.

Until we understand the myriad of ways in which abusers are able to maintain a hold on their victim to continue their course of conduct, justice will not be met as they will continue to perpetrate WITHOUT reaching the required standard of proof for a conviction.

The ONLY way to deal with abuse of ANY kind is to stand up to it and we can only do this if we understand HOW abusers work, why they abuse and how they exploit our discomfort and fear to stop intervention.

AND
to understand how to evidence a PATTERN of behaviour.

The SMEAR! Conference will be looking at how & why abusers vilify & how to better identify it.
This is crucial because abusers consistently pull the wool over the eyes of others- including police & courts.
They do this by:
*Deflection
*Denying
*Lying
*Playing the victim.

They are able to isolate the victim by creating a toxic environment nobody wants to be a part of, so that the victim is not supported and not believed.

If we are truly serious about tackling abuse, this is where we must look.
Conference on Coercive Control 2020
#SMEAR!

@threadreaderapp unroll