We announce our landmark DARVO study and we ask for your support

Written By Jennifer Freyd

New Study Links “DARVO” Defense Tactic to Acts of Sexual Harassment and Rape Myth Beliefs 

I am excited to tell you about  a  landmark study published on December 4, 2024, in the peer-reviewed and open access journal PLOS ONE.  It  reveals a striking link between the manipulative defense tactic known as DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender) – often used by institutions and by powerful leaders -- with acts of sexual harassment and belief in rape myths.

This new study was funded by the Center for Institutional Courage and led by our former post-doctoral fellow Dr. Sarah Harsey, with Dr. Alexis Adams-Clark and Dr. Jennifer Freyd.

When I first identified DARVO, it was from observing how offenders manipulate accountability. Since then, research has revealed DARVO’s power to harm victims and confuse observers.  This new study is the first to quantify characteristics of people who use DARVO, showing that using DARVO is associated with sexual harassment perpetration and is connected to a worldview that justifies and perpetuates sexual violence.

Key Findings:

  • In a survey of 602 university students, researchers found a positive correlation between DARVO use and both sexual harassment perpetration and acceptance of rape myths.

  • A second survey of 335 community members further reinforced these findings, showing very strong correlations between DARVO, sexual harassment behavior, and rape-supportive attitudes. (Graph available upon request.)

  • Behavior: Using DARVO is connected to perpetrating sexual harassment.

  • Beliefs: Using DARVO is linked to believing in rape myths

For more information about our DARVO research:

The Guardian published an article about this new research and how it may relate to current events in an article titled “Commonly used defense tactic strongly correlates with acceptance of rape myths – study.”

 

And now my request for your support

Institutions shape our lives—schools, hospitals, governments, and places of worship. When they work, they protect and uplift us. But when they fail? They betray us, leaving the vulnerable to suffer while chasing power and profit.

The Center for Institutional Courage is fixing this. Our mission is to transform institutions through research and education, ensuring they serve people with accountability, integrity, and courage.

“There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.”
— Desmond Tutu

I haven’t asked for your support in over a year, but I’m reaching out now because the stakes are higher than ever. Institutions are at a crossroads. While some progress has been made, we risk backsliding if we don’t act now. The pressure to prioritize profit, power, and self-protection over accountability and service is relentless. We must harden institutions against betrayal and ensure they are held accountable—because when they falter, it’s the most vulnerable who pay the highest price.

We’re doing the upstream work—funding 33 research grants, advancing findings like DARVO, and empowering leaders across government, schools, and corporations to build stronger, braver organizations. Every week, I hear how our research and education are making institutions more accountable, ethical, and courageous.

But this fight isn’t over. Institutions won’t transform themselves, and progress is fragile. That’s why I’m asking for your help. Your year-end gift powers the work that turns institutional betrayal into institutional courage, creating a world where organizations serve and protect us all.

Please donate today.  Let’s move upstream together.

Jennifer Joy Freyd, PhD
Founder and President
Center for Institutional Courage

Jennifer Freyd
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