Years ago my lab group argued that judicial betrayal can be a particularly potent form of institutional betrayal. dynamic.uoregon.edu/jjf/articles... Now I see that judicial courage can be a particularly potent form of institutional courage. www.institutionalcourage.org apnews.com/article/new-...

Courageous judges can create institutional courage. Courageous judges are bolstered by courageous citizens. March 28 No Kings is a good day to save some lives, to demand institutional courage rather than betrayal. Resistance persistence. Gift article: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/h...

Regarding Trump's use of DARVO (Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender) Wong wrote: "Jennifer Freyd . . . who coined DARVO, [and co-author @sarahharsey.bsky.social noted] it’s a strategy that Trump and his team have weaponized for years to distort reality." www.huffpost.com/entry/donald...

"It was one of the most courageous battles ever fought by American men and women not in uniform. It was led by moms ready to donate their breast milk to strangers and dads ready to drive someone else’s kids to school . . . " Gift article: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/15/o...

"Today let’s choose to spend some time focusing on what’s good. That is, after all, how we sustain ourselves for the long fight ahead…which we are absolutely going to win." Thank you @jesscraven101.bsky.social for this good-news list. chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/extra-extr...

Sharing our open-access peer-reviewed research report indicating institutional courage buffers the harm of institutional betrayal. Institutions don't have to be perfect but they need to show some courage. @alexisadamsclark.bsky.social, @monikanlind.bsky.social psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...

On March 6 I gave a presentation - From Betrayal to Courage - to the Association for Women in Psychology (AWP). I talked about research on betrayal trauma, institutional betrayal, DARVO, and institutional courage - and what it might suggest for the current situation. youtu.be/4QbCjdeOUmU

I am finding this extremely concerning - new reporting from investigative reporter @sollenbergerrc.bsky.social Sollenberger has a lot of credibility. He was the first to reveal the hidden victim documents (& deserves a Pulitzer). We must replace institutional betrayal with truth and with courage.

What predicts harm from sexual assault? Context matters. 2026 peer-reviewed research: "Contextual Factors Associated with Posttraumatic Stress Among Campus Sexual Assault Survivors" By Alexis Adams-Clark & me @alexisadamsclark.bsky.social Link to full text: dynamic.uoregon.edu/jjf/articles...

This is interesting: "Is the era of corporate silence during the Trump administration officially over? Microsoft filed a court brief late on Tuesday supporting Anthropic’s lawsuit against the Pentagon, a momentous decision . . ." Hopeful. Gift article: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/11/b...

"Such is the nature of resistance—it is 90% persistence and 90% resistance." Thank you for your persistence and insightful resistance @roberthubbell.skystack.xyz. Your work means a lot. Resistance persistence! roberthubbell.substack.com/p/chaos-reig...

"It’s been another bear of a week, so it’s more important than ever to stop and take in the remarkable amount of good news we ALSO had." Thank you for your work @jesscraven101.bsky.social Including this week's list: chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/extra-extr...

Until Trump, "Voice of America broadcast in 49 languages and had more than 360 million weekly listeners around the world, providing news services to foreign countries with limited press freedoms, such as China, Russia and Iran." A federal judge has just voided Trump's mass layoffs. Gift article:

I am giving a keynote today for AWP's virtual conference. I'll be speaking from fabulous Uruguay - a socially liberal, peaceful, highly democratic, high income and low income-inequality, beautiful nation. Institutional courage is possible - you can see it here. whova.com/embedded/ses...

DARVO and post-trauma symptoms. And the DARVO short form measure. Peer-reviewed published research by Melissa Durland, @sarahharsey.bsky.social, and me. Print version (Durland, Harsey, Freyd, 2026) full text here: dynamic.uoregon.edu/jjf/articles...

"The Trump administration has decided to drop its prolonged court fights against four law firms with ties to Democrats, after it had sought and failed to cut out the firms’ access to the federal government as part of an apparent retribution campaign by President Donald Trump." Courage, persistence.

"Of course, it’s anything but happy. We’re at war, American service members are dying, and all kinds of other heinous things are also happening. But I’m here with a new all-wins list for you. . ." Resistance persistence. @jesscraven101.bsky.social

Monica Lewinsky writing in Vanity Fair on the Epstein files and grooming, discusses betrayal trauma theory, betrayal blindness, and why it can take a long time for a betrayed person to perceive the betrayal. www.vanityfair.com/news/story/m... @monicalewinsky.bsky.social @apdeprince.bsky.social

This feels big. News about seemingly important missing Epstein files is gaining traction. From a dogged reporter on Substack (thank you @sollenbergerrc.bsky.social) to NPR to the NYT and MS NOW. Congressional hearings next? Chris Hayes explains it clearly: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL4d...

This specific apparent document cover up has been reported over days in multiple posts by independent reporter Sollenberger (sollenbergerrc.substack.com). What is very important NOW is that it broke into the mainstream in a top story by NPR. @sollenbergerrc.bsky.social www.npr.org/2026/02/24/n...

In demanding that Netflix fire Susan Rice, Trump has "given Netflix an opportunity to demonstrate exactly the kind of institutional courage Rice was calling for." - @marcelias.bsky.social Institutional courage: www.institutionalcourage.org

"So if you’ve spent the week doomscrolling it’s time for you to take a break to bask in the fact that good things are also happening. It matters." @jesscraven101.bsky.social has another long list of wins: chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/extra-extr...

An important and sweeping ruling from Judge Sunshine Sykes in a class action lawsuit that covers migrants nationwide. Courageous judges are bolstered by courageous citizens who refuse to remain silent. www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...

A key step of institutional courage is transparency. "“New Mexico is acting where the federal government is failing to do so,”" & "The investigation, Romero added, will be a “survivor-centered inquiry,” and will respect survivors’ requests for anonymity." www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legisla...

Courageous resistance can come in so many different forms. Each person has something to offer the collective effort. Here we see quiet and steady work with an understanding that knowledge (www.trumpactiontracker.info) is power: www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...

"The judge said the government’s claim to have the power to erase and alter historical accounts at the country’s monuments echoed George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984.”" Gift article: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/u...

This is a fabulous list of good things this week! Pro-democracy movement has so much momentum. We must not be complacent but we definitely should honor the successes. Thank you @jesscraven101.bsky.social Resistance persistence. chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/extra-extr...

Thank you @byjacobward.bsky.social for this short video about DARVO and its relevance to current events. Research summaries and more analyses here: www.jjfreyd.com/darvo youtube.com/shorts/gW-ze...

Pam Bondi's use of DARVO was called out in social media. Good because research indicates education about DARVO reduces its power: www.jjfreyd.com/darvo The press? So far I am aware of a mention on Feb 10 NYT's "The Daily" and in HuffPo (www.huffpost.com/entry/pam-bo...). Knowledge is power.

"How could Jeffrey Epstein’s vicious crimes, his elite network, and . . . watching [ICE] tear families apart, detain children, and cause preventable deaths—all while government officials deny, deflect, and attack critics—not break something in us?" @sorayachemaly.bsky.social

If you truly want to understand Bondi’s testimony strategy before congress, look no further than DARVO!

We know something about the impact of DARVO - and who is likely to use it: www.jjfreyd.com/darvo

@mjcasper.bsky.social and I published this in The Hill in September before the Epstein Files Transparency Act and it is still true, still pressing? "To date, the government’s response to the Epstein survivors has been one of massive institutional betrayal." thehill.com/opinion/whit...

Ordinary Americans, federal judges, activists, and millions of caring people are upholding the constitution. Terrible stuff happens, yes, but the resistance works more often than it fails. Help it grow. Courage, compassion, decency. Resistance persistence! www.politico.com/news/2026/02...

Federal prosecutors tried to secure an indictment against six members of congress who had reminded members of the military that they were obligated to refuse illegal orders. Yesterday ordinary American citizens on a grand jury refused to go along with this retaliatory prosecution. Gift article:

Things are much worse and much better. Worse: the regime's cruelty. Better: powerful growing resistance. What's our future? It could go either way. What we do will determine which way. Need a boost? Here are 62 good-news stories from past week compiled by @jesscraven101.bsky.social. Persist!

Did yesterday's rebuke of Trump (regarding terrible racist post) from power-holders reflect that this post was particularly horrifying or was it indication of a major tide shift - or both? The rebukes were good news but now we need congressional action. Our resistance persistence matters so much.

Some things to learn from this interview. @jenrubin.bsky.social contrarian.substack.com/p/how-to-fig...

"In a scathing, 83-page ruling, Judge Reyes said that the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, did not have the authority . . . Judge Reyes said the administration was motivated, at least in part, by racial animus . . .and ran afoul of the law." Courage. Gift: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/u...

The image here is of a poster I have on my front door. You can download and print this poster (and many others) at this site: www.greatforallcid.com/neighborhood... Community. Courage. Resistance persistence.

"It’s been another brutal week, but boy did we have some notable wins nonetheless! From massive electoral over-performances in Texas to court wins in Minneapolis to more examples of defiance and resistance from . . ." @jesscraven101.bsky.social Read the inspiring list:

On Friday U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly provided "the latest blow to a wide-ranging executive order on elections" abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory...

"Minneapolis has shown the country and the world what courageous, organized, and morally righteous defense of democracy looks like." @jenrubin.bsky.social That and so much more heartening resistance persistence from many segments is growing, growing. contrarian.substack.com/p/undaunted-...

The growing list of courageous artists taking a stand fills me with joy, much as does the music of Philip Glass. Courage matters. Resistance persistence matters. www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...

DARVO Alert: After Rep Omar is attacked, Trump tells ABC news: "She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her" Research shows DARVO (Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim & Offender) is toxic but that education about DARVO helps reduce its power: www.jjfreyd.com/darvo abcnews.go.com/Politics/man...

"The tremendous efforts by the people of Minnesota — with the backing of Americans across the nation — achieved a significant victory over the last 48 hours. Trump backed down . . ." @roberthubbell.skystack.xyz Courage, caring, resistance persistence.

DARVO from the government is known as institutional DARVO, which is a kind of institutional betrayal. From many many research studies we know that institutional betrayal is associated with harm. www.institutionalcourage.org/tracking-res... I explain here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eea...

"I offer you this list as a balm for your troubled soul. Things are terrible, but good things are still happening. Hang on to them as you would a life preserver in troubled waters." Thank you @jesscraven101.bsky.social. Resistance persistence, everyone. What we do now matters so very much.

The second killing by ICE of a civilian in Minnesota is terribly upsetting. And the subsequent DARVOing by the government is predictable and horrifying. Our research indicates that educating people about DARVO reduces its power to manipulate. Here I explain: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eea...

The people of Minnesota are courageously and peacefully and compassionately modeling for us what we all need to do to bring an end to the tyranny and cruelty and dysfunction. Gift article: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/23/u...