Images of an abuser and a victim in modern Russian cinematography

Abstract

The article focuses on the phenomenon of covert abuse that is common in modern society. The author reviews Boris Khlebnikov’s film “Arrhythmia” (2017) and studies the images of the two main characters of the film, Oleg and Katya, a married couple on the verge of divorce. The images of the heroes are analysed and interpreted within the framework of the “abuser” and “victim” concepts as defined by the American psychologist Lundy Bancroft and the French psychotherapist Marie-France Hirigoyen.

The methodology developed by psychologists and psychotherapists, allows us to explore and adjust the behaviour and motives of both sides involved in a family conflict related to hidden abuse, as well as to analyse the images of the abuser and the victim in the texts of culture. The analysis of cinematography representing various models of interpersonal interaction is one of the most productive ways of reflecting on conflict situations associated with the distribution of roles in the socio-cultural and family hierarchy.

The article analyses the type of behaviour and motivation for each hero, placed in the framework of the provided scheme of “abuser” and “victim” roles, and describes the main plot lines of the film. Oleg, who is a typical “abuser”, justifies his abusive behaviour by problems at work, and Katya, who is a loyal “victim”, is easily manipulated by her husband. The interlacing of the characters’ professional activity and family relationship becomes a prolific field for investigation into Oleg and Katya’s interaction and behaviour patterns, representing a model of an interdependent relationship based on the roles and the scheme described above.