Smear campaigns are a devastating but often overlooked form of psychological abuse.

They occur when someone deliberately spreads false or misleading narratives about another person in order to discredit them, damage their reputation, isolate them from support, or silence them after they speak out.

For many survivors, smear campaigns sadly begin after disclosures of domestic abuse or sexual violence.

Instead of being believed and supported, survivors can face retaliation through:

false allegations
distorted narratives
character assassination
social exclusion
workplace retaliation
pressure on others to “take sides”
These tactics are frequently used to avoid accountability and punish survivors for speaking out.

While smear campaigns are commonly recognised within domestic abuse and coercive control, they do not only occur in intimate relationships.

They also happen in:

workplaces following disclosures

professional and voluntary organisations
social groups and community spaces
religious institutions
educational environments
When this happens, survivors can lose their jobs, their communities, and their support networks.

The emotional and psychological harm caused by smear campaigns can be profound. Survivors often experience anxiety, depression, social isolation, and reputational damage that affects their livelihoods and wellbeing.

Despite this, smear campaigns are often dismissed as interpersonal conflict or treated only as civil matters, leaving victims with little protection while those responsible face few consequences.

This must change.

We are calling for stronger recognition of smear campaigns as harmful psychological abuse, particularly when they are used to silence or discredit victim survivors of abuse.

We are asking the Government and relevant institutions to:

• Recognise smear campaigns as a form of psychological abuse
• Provide stronger legal protections for victims and survivors
• Consider criminal accountability where smear campaigns form part of harassment, coercive control, or retaliation against disclosures of abuse
• Ensure workplaces and institutions protect individuals from reputational retaliation after disclosures
• Improve awareness and training so these behaviours are recognised and addressed appropriately

No survivor should be punished, isolated, excluded, or professionally harmed for speaking the truth about abuse.

This campaign is part of Smear Campaign Awareness Day (#SCAD), observed annually on April 18th, led by The Jessica Project.

By signing this petition, you are standing with survivors and calling for greater protection, accountability, and awareness.

Smear campaigns cause real harm, smear campaigns are abuse. 

It is time they were recognised for what they are.