GASLIGHT PHENOMENON: FROM PSYCHOLOGICAL MANIPULATION TO FEMALE EMPOWERMENT

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The term Gaslight means subtle psychological violence in which the woman is manipulated by the oppressor. As in all forms of violence, this victim needs specialized care, including that of a psychologist, for the empowerment of this woman. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze female empowerment in the face of psychological violence practiced by the oppressor. METHODOLOGY: The methodology was a theoretical literature review using the bibliographic and exploratory research method. The materials were books, dissertations, theses, monographs and scientific articles available in scientific databases such as Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), UNESC repository, UFJF Institutional Repository, among others published in the period from 2008 to 2021. RESULTS: The results indicate that psychological violence compromises women's self-esteem and shame appears as the predominant feeling. It was evident that in the clinical field the gaslight phenomenon is a form of psychological abuse in which false information leads women to doubt their own memories, perceptions and judgments. It was understood that Gaslight is a subtle aggression to the woman where the aggressor manipulates, deceives, confuses, hides, disrespects, has aggression and intoxicates the victim's identity. CONCLUSION: The study made it possible to know, conceptualize, establish relationships between the offender and the victim, between violence and women's empowerment. Talking about violence is a way of alerting society and people who are experiencing abusive relationships to seek help and who need to have the courage to get out of the situation they are subjected to. The contributions of psychology are evident because it is necessary to foster debates around violence against women and their empowerment in order to raise their self-esteem, self-esteem and self-concept. In this sense, psychology with psychotherapeutic interventions promotes the reduction of psychological suffering, improving the quality of life of these women. It is considered that the deconstruction of gaslight behavior in women victims of violence is an important factor that needs to be discussed. It was understood that empowerment does not occur only in the individual or psychological sphere or limited to self-help, but in other dimensions such as economic, social, political and cultural.