Putting an End to Victim Blaming
Victim blaming is a phenomenon that occurs when the victim of an illegal or unjust act is wholly or partially held responsible for what happened to them. This phenomenon occurs all the time, and it is very damaging not just to the victim but to our society. So why is it happening?
In part, we blame the victim because we do not want to believe that something terrible could happen to us.
It makes us feel safer if we think that the victim just did not handle the situation “correctly.” It feels safer to think that we are in control of whether or not we become victims of crimes. Also, people tend to hold the belief that people deserve what happens to them. Holding this belief makes someone more likely in engage in victim blaming. While it might make us feel more secure, victim blaming is very damaging.
One of the major concerns around victim blaming is that we are not holding perpetrators responsible.
By focusing on the actions of the victim, we are minimizing the actions of the perpetrator and their effect on the victim. Victims, in particular victims of sexual assault, often report that the way they were treated after the assault felt worse than the actual assault. It also sends the message that perpetrators are not obligated to take responsibility for their actions, which reinforces the behavior. In addition, it completely changes the way we view victims, in particular victims of sexual assault. So, victim blaming casts victims as damaged, irresponsible people who deserve what happened to them.
Obviously, this must stop. We need to stop putting victims through secondary trauma by blaming them for what was done to them. The way our culture views victims and their perpetrators needs to change. We need to be intentional about projecting different messages about assault, abuse, and trauma in general.
Here are some of the ways we can change the culture around victim blaming:
Validating the victim’s experience – Many victims report that one of the worst parts of reporting a crime is not being believed. This is also one of the main reasons that victims do not report what happened to them. This is incredibly isolating and invalidating. Believing and validating victims is an important part of the healing process.
Holding perpetrators responsible – When the victim of an unjust or illegal act is held responsible for what happened to them, the perpetrator does not have to take responsibility for their choices. This also sends the message that assault is not a serious crime.
Stop the rape jokes – When people make jokes about rape, they are minimizing the impact that rape has on victims. It also normalizes victim-blaming.
Education – Until now, only women are being educated on how to avoid assault. Women are told to be careful about what they wear, how much they drink, etc. This sends the message that women can control whether they are taken advantage of. Men need to be educated about assault as well. Rape culture, particularly on college campuses, has become rampant. We need to be talking to men about respecting others and receiving consent.
Spread the importance of consent – Checking for consent is such an imperative part of preventing sexual assault. It is important to recognize that there are situations where consent is not possible. Assuming that because someone is not fighting back or saying no means there is consent feeds directly into victim blaming.
