Victim Blaming

When stories of sexual violence and other types of trauma are shared in the news, on social media or at work, it’s not uncommon to see people ask questions like “what did she do to invite that?” or “how could she have prevented this?” This type of response is known as victim blaming. It can be especially damaging to survivors, who often feel blame and shame themselves. Victim blaming can also make it less likely for victims to report abuse and seek help.

It’s not always a conscious decision to engage in victim blaming. Some researchers believe that a person’s worldview may influence how much they blame others. This theory, called the positive assumptive worldview theory, suggests that most people believe that life is generally a positive place and that unfortunate events happen because of bad choices or a lack of good choices (Grubb & Turner, 2012).

Depending on someone’s culture, gender, age, or personal experiences, the tendency to engage in victim blaming might be more or less pronounced. For example, some studies suggest that women who break traditional gender roles are more likely to be victim blamed than those who do not (Grubb & Turner, 2012). In addition, people’s beliefs about how fair or unfair the world is might affect how they react to certain situations (Gilin, 2018).

The way that victim blaming is addressed can also impact its frequency. Some people are more likely to victim blame when they read or hear about crimes committed by strangers rather than those that happen to friends and family members. This can be a result of the cognitive dissonance that some people experience between their ingrained belief in a just world and clear evidence that it is not always fair (Gilin, 2018).

Other factors that might influence victim blaming include how relevant the crime or the abuser’s background is to a person, as well as how much empathy a person feels toward a survivor. For instance, if a person has experienced a similar trauma, they might be more likely to blame a survivor of that same trauma because it reminds them of their own experience (Niemi, 2017).

When someone says things like “she was asking for it,” they are engaging in victim blaming. These statements minimize the incredibly harmful act of an assault, and they can discourage survivors from reporting abuse or seeking help. They can also make them feel shameful and guilty, which can delay their healing and cause unhelpful emotions like anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Fortunately, many people are now aware of the harms of victim blaming and are working to change the way they address it. But we still have a long way to go before it is completely eliminated. To learn more about the harmful effects of victim blaming and how to stop it, check out this article from the New York Times. You can also share this article to raise awareness.