This was picked up from another group--it seemed interesting enough to
repost here (although I wonder if the definition of projective
identification is correct?):
False Victims
In Munchausen Syndrome, this is achieved by capitalising on,
exploiting, exaggerating or feigning illness or injury or personal
misfortune. The opportunities for being centre of attention can be
increased if feigning victimhood through alleged victimisation,
isolation, exclusion or persecution is added to the equation; the
Munchausen person can then depict another person (often a family
member) as a victimiser or persecutor and herself as the victim.
Presenting herself as a false victim is also a Munchausen trait.
http://www.bullyonline.org/workbully/munchaus.htm
False Victimization Syndrome:
This occurs when an individual attempts to convince others that he or
she is being stalked through the invention of claims made to re-
establish a failing relationship and/or gain attention (Zona, Palarea,
and Lane, 1998).
Individuals who exhibit these characteristics may also fit the
criteria for histrionic personality disorder (DSM-IV, 1994): demanding
to be the center of attention, shallow expression of emotions which
shift rapidly, and speaks in a manner that is overly impressionistic
and lacking in detail.
* This is not to be confused with situations where a stalker
claims to be a victim of stalking. Oddly, sometimes a stalker will
feel victimized by the person he or she is stalking. This is referred
to as projective identification. In other words, the stalker's rage
at being rejected (and other unconsciously disowned stalking-related
attributes) is "projected" or "put" into the true victim, so that the
true victim is now perceived by the stalker to have this rage
(attributes/behaviors) and directing it back, hence stalking the
stalker.
* A notable problem with the False Victimization Syndrome (FVS)
is that it wastes valuable resources. More importantly, FVS is rare
and the few cases that do occur should not undermine the reporting and
investigation of legitimate stalking cases.
* A conceptual model that categorizes false allegations was
developed by Mohandie, Hatcher, and Raymond (1998). Three types of
false victimization syndromes are delineated.
1. a. Hysterical paralysis: An example of this would be
converting a psychological distress into physiological problems.
There are often secondary gains to having a paralyzed limb, such as
not having to participate in a stressful or frightening event.
b. Munchausen (Factitious Disorder): An individual
intentionally creates or feigns physical or psychological symptoms in
order to assume the sick role.
c. Munchausen by proxy: The intentionally produced or feigned
physical or psychological symptoms in another person, such as a child,
under one's care and indirectly assuming the sick role.
2. Known perpetrator:
a. Single event
b. Multiple event (stalking):
3. Unknown perpetrator:
a. Single event:
b. Multiple event (stalking)
The last two categories are similar, save the obvious difference
that one involves claiming to have known the perpetrator and the other
involves stating that the perpetrator is unknown. Also, these last
two types entail more complex motivations and sophistication of
procedures by the false victim than the other types (1a, 1b, and 1c).
The characteristics that classify FVS type 2 and 3 similarly are
* multiple situations over time when the victim has been alone
with no witnesses and is approached by the suspect;
* major incidents begin as noncriminal contact, but then advance
quickly to criminal contact;
* the victim reports these criminal contacts based on what has
been learned from the media or someone known to the false victim who
has reported these occurrences;
* and claiming to have received injuries, letters, phone calls,
threats, followed, or chase
http://www.stalkingbehavior.com/definiti.htm
