Fiction vs Family Law: gaslighting in The Archers ================================================= ![Fiction vs Family Law: gaslighting in The Archers](https://vardags.com/images/pictures/_360/3232180a827b49098ead276c88a1066b.jpeg)As promised in the last blog, we're checking back in on Rob and Helen from *The Archers.* You can read the [first blog](https://vardags.com/family-law/archers-reproductive-coercion), but just to recap, Rob coerced Helen, his wife, into having a child, and then began to use her pregnancy as a way to control her. Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for people in an abusive relationship, and it seems this holds true even in fiction. While nothing that has happened seems particularly related to the festive period, Rob's controlling behaviour has intensified. In a particularly damaging move Rob quit his job and convinced Helen that her pregnancy means she should have a job share with him, then deleted an order she had put through and convinced her she'd forgotten to do it in the first place. This particularly kind of abusive behaviour has a name - gaslighting. The term actually taken from fiction itself; in the 1938 play *Gaslight* by William Hamilton, a husband convinces his wife she's losing her mind through a series of lies and trickery. It's a form of emotional and psychological abuse that is often used to isolate a partner and keep them reliant on their abuser without being overt about it. While Helen has still to reach out for help - or, it seems, even consciously acknowledge that she needs it - there is a new law that will help both men and women in her position. Legislation which came into force at the very end of 2015 means that partners who use [coercive or controlling behaviour](https://vardags.com/family-law/an-end-in-sight-to-coercive-and-controlling-behaviour) to abuse their partners can now face up to five years in jail, as well as a financial penalty. While we hope that Helen and anyone else with similar difficulties will not have to go anywhere near a criminal court, it is a relief to know that the law will now support them should they have to. "Ayesha Vardag - Britain's top divorce lawyer." ![The Huffington Post](https://vardags.com/images/logo/huffpost.png) "Ayesha Vardag - Woman of the Year"![GG2](https://vardags.com/images/logo/gg2-3.png) "Leading, Magic Circle law firm."Mr Justice Coleridge "A handful of firms dominate the so-called 'glamour' end of the market ... Vardags"The Times "One of the best divorce lawyers in the country"Marie Claire "Ayesha Vardag - 'diva of divorce' for the world's super rich" ![BBC](https://vardags.com/images/logo/bbc.png) "Dr Stephen Bence is a financial genius."Lewis Marks KC "Ayesha Vardag - the Queen of divorce"Daily Mail "Vardags brilliantly argued my case to a resounding victory"Pauline Chai (client) "Britain's top divorce lawyer" ![The Telegraph](https://vardags.com/images/logo/telegraph.png) More Family Law news -------------------- [Doing it for themselves: Why I'll always fight to empower women and children](https://vardags.com/family-law/ayesha-vardag-empower-women-children "Doing it for themselves: Why Ill always fight to empower women and children") [Possible online avenues for the Small Claims Court](https://vardags.com/family-law/online-avenues-for-small-claims-court "Possible online avenues for the Small Claims Court") [Fiction vs Family Law: gaslighting in The Archers](https://vardags.com/family-law/archers-gaslighting "Fiction vs Family Law: gaslighting in The Archers") [Marriage Foundation research on celebrity couples](https://vardags.com/family-law/marriage-foundation-research-celebrity-couples "Marriage Foundation research on celebrity couples") [China adopts its first ever domestic violence law](https://vardags.com/family-law/chinas-anti-domestic-violence-law "China adopts its first ever domestic violence law")