Gaslighting as a Communication Strategy in Abusive Relationships: A Textual Analysis of the E-Book Broken Strings

Abstract

Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse that operates through manipulative communication strategies in interpersonal relationships, particularly within abusive intimate relationships. This study aims to analyze gaslighting as a communication strategy in abusive relationships as represented in the ebook Broken Strings by Aurelie Moeremans. This research employs a qualitative approach using a descriptive-interpretative text analysis method. Data were collected through close reading of the ebook, focusing on narratives and textual excerpts that represent gaslighting practices. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, drawing on theories of interpersonal communication, power relations, and symbolic violence. The findings reveal that gaslighting in Broken Strings manifests through the denial of reality, victim-blaming, normalization of abuse through the language of love, and emotional manipulation based on guilt and fear of abandonment. These practices function systematically and repetitively, constructing unequal power relations and undermining the victim’s communicative autonomy. This study concludes that gaslighting is not merely an individual psychological phenomenon but a structured communicative practice rooted in relational dynamics and social constructions of love and intimacy. The findings contribute to the field of interpersonal communication studies and enhance public awareness of manipulative communication in abusive relationships.