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A form of psychological harm inflicted through the manipulation, suppression, or distortion of a person’s thought processes, often by forcing them to accept contradictions, doubt their own reasoning, or internalize hostile narratives. Unlike physical violence, cognitive violence operates through gaslighting, indoctrination, coercive persuasion, or systematic invalidation of one’s epistemic framework. It can occur in abusive relationships, cults, ideological echo chambers, or online harassment campaigns where the victim’s ability to think clearly is systematically attacked. The result is confusion, self-doubt, and a loss of trust in one’s own cognitive capacities.
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