Manipulation of blame in cases of control and coercion within intimate relationships

This study explores the phenomenon of "denial of the victim," where perpetrators justify their actions by attributing responsibility to the victim’s character or behaviour. Utilizing Attribution Theory, it is differentiated between two types of denial: "provocative behaviour," which emphasizes specific actions of the victim, and "attacking character," which generalizes perceived flaws in the victim's personality. This research aims to understand how these distinctions affect blame attribution and the perception of domestic violence cases.