A Critical Discourse Analysis of Violence against Women

This book presents a critical analysis of the language surrounding Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG), demonstrating how discourse can both sustain harm and serve as a catalyst for healing and change. Grounded in Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), it examines the “DARVO” tactic—Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender (Freyd, 1997)—a manipulative strategy used by perpetrators to evade accountability, silence survivors, and reinforce a culture of victim-blaming. Through detailed case studies, the book uncovers the broader societal structures that enable and normalise these behaviours. To counteract these harmful dynamics, the author introduces the concept of “institutional courage” (Freyd, 1997), providing a framework for institutions to respond more effectively and empathetically to VAWG. Ultimately, the book advocates for a shift in both individual and institutional responses, urging a collective commitment to challenge DARVO and adopt institutional courage in the fight against VAWG. This work will be of particular interest to scholars, practitioners, and students across Linguistics, Women’s and Gender Studies, Sociology, and Institutional Discourse.

Giuseppina Scotto di Carlo is a Tenure-Track Researcher in English Language, Translation, and Linguistics at the University of Naples ‘L'Orientale’, Italy. Her research focuses on institutional discourse and gender studies. Recent works include “An Analysis of Self-Other Representations in the Incelosphere: Between Online Misogyny and Self-Contempt” (2022),“‘Pushing Back Against the Pushback’: WAR and JOURNEY Metaphors in UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ Commission on the Status of Women Speeches” (2023), and “Deconstructing Men’s Rights Activism: A Discourse Analysis of D.A.R.V.O. in MRA Discourse on Rape Culture” (2024).