Blake Lively accuses Justin Baldoni of using 'abuser playbook' in $400M defamation lawsuit

 In response to Baldoni's lawsuit, Lively’s legal team issued a passionate statement to DailyMail.com, calling the action "another chapter in the abuser playbook."

They added, "This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation, and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender."

The statement further claimed that Baldoni's production company, Wayfarer Studios, used its billionaire co-founder's resources to release media statements, file frivolous lawsuits, and threaten legal action to confuse the public and retaliate against the sexual harassment claims.

Lively’s attorneys went on to say, “They are trying to shift the narrative to Ms. Lively by falsely claiming that she seized creative control and alienated the cast from Mr. Baldoni. The evidence will show that the cast and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer."

“They will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sony’s cut of the film, which they then selected for distribution and was a resounding success.”

The statement continued, "Their response to sexual harassment allegations: she wanted it, it’s her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing."

It concluded, "In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim. The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Lively’s complaint, and it will fail.”