Gaslighting...

 

The term “gaslighting” has become a more entrenched cultural aspect of the American lexicon since 2016. Today, most people tend to use it in terms of politics. But gaslighting is applicable to and can be found in a wide array of cultural and social aspects. 

Sexual gaslighting, for instance, is readily evident in many abusive relationships and toxic sexual encounters. Recognizing sexual gaslighting is vital for psychological and sexual well-being.  

Essentially, gaslighting involves the psychological manipulation of another into questioning their sense of reality, refers to it as  “mind-manipulating strategies of abusive people”  particularly effective when “rooted in social inequalities, especially gender and sexuality, and executed in power-laden intimate relationships.” 

Sexual gaslighting, therefore, is the psychological and abusive manipulation of another person for the purpose of getting them to question their reality around a sexual situation