Case Analysis 3: Punishment and Intermittency

Corrosive humor and the destruction of self-esteem.

We will now analyze the case of Henry VIII (aggressor) and Anne Boleyn (victim). Henry presents an impeccable social façade, but in private he uses an acid humor designed to hurt.

He systematically mocks Anne's qualities; being a cheerful woman, he calls her a "clown" and suggests she go to a circus, criticizing her tastes and friendships.

If Ana defends herself, he becomes indignant and accuses her of having no sense of humor and of being paranoid.

This dynamic leads Ana to measure every word, living in a state of constant stress and intimidation so as not to provoke further ridicule.

Enrique alternates periods of hostility with phases of calculated "normalcy" (honeymoon) to keep her from pulling away altogether, creating a cycle of intermittent reinforcement that keeps her hooked.

Sabotaging special moments and physical abandonment.

A clear example of his cruelty occurs during a trip to the beach, which Ana idealized as an opportunity for reconciliation.

Since the arrival, Enrique is dedicated to sabotaging the experience: he ignores her, makes excuses for not being with her and contradicts everything he says. He provokes an absurd argument in a store and blames Ana for the conflict.

The situation escalates in the car on the way back; when Ana tries to talk about what happened and raises her voice out of frustration, Enrique stops the car and forces her to get out in the middle of the road, calling her "hysterical". He leaves her abandoned, forcing her to return by bus.

During the journey, instead of being outraged by the danger, Ana obsessively reviews what she did wrong to deserve such punishment, looking for a logic in the irrationality of the aggressor.

Digital punishment and manipulation of the environment

After these incidents, Enrique applies the punishment of silence and disappearance. He does not answer calls and responds to emails coldly, ordering her to "think about what she has done" and ask for forgiveness.

During these separations, he uses social networks (Facebook) as a weapon, knowing that Ana is watching him.

He adds unknown women and posts hurtful or victimizing comments, presenting himself to mutual friends as the man hurt by Ana's "aggressiveness".

Only when he sees that Ana stops insisting, he reappears feigning despondency to restart everything.

Enrique refuses to compromise or live together, blaming Ana for being "controlling," and repeats this back-and-forth pattern for ye