Victim Blaming

Victim blaming happens when victims of crime or any wrongful act are held at least partially at fault for the harm that befell them. It can be expressed openly or covertly, but it is most often a result of the warped belief that we live in a just world and people get what they deserve in life.

The root causes of victim blaming are complex and often lie in our basic human needs. It is a natural reaction to feel threatened, especially when we are presented with information that contradicts our preconceived beliefs or experiences. These conflicting reactions are hard to control. But with awareness and training, they can be redirected. Victim blaming can be found across all genders, age groups, communities and crimes. It can be found in the courtrooms of our country, in social media, and in the homes and workplaces of our friends and families. It can be voiced directly by the victim, or more insidiously by others, including therapists and prevention advocates who should know better.

It is not unusual to hear that sexual assault or domestic violence is the victim’s fault, that they should have fought back or said no, that they were too drunk or flirting with their abusers and therefore deserve to be hurt. These messages are not only toxic to the victim, but they also prevent them from coming forward about their experience and thus from being able to report it. They may even stop them from accessing services that will help them heal, like mental health support and legal advocacy.

Research has shown that people’s motivations for victim blaming can differ depending on their moral values and the way in which they view justice in society. Individuals with stronger “individual” values are more concerned about fairness and preventing harm to individuals, and are more likely to be sympathetic to victims. On the other hand, people with stronger “binding” values tend to focus on protecting the interests of groups as a whole and are more likely to see victims as blameworthy.

Some other factors that contribute to victim blaming are how relevant a scenario is to the person engaging in it, and whether or not they believe they could have been in the same situation as the victim. It is also known that people who have more education are less likely to engage in victim blaming (Gray, Palileo & Johnson, 1993).

In addition, those who are closer to the victim can be more likely to participate in this behavior as they are more inclined to believe that they could have been in the same situation and therefore must be at fault (Hafer, 2000). However, it is important to note that these types of statements still make the victim feel guilty and are not helping them to heal. It is also believed that people who engage in victim blaming are more likely to be those who have been abused themselves or who know someone who has been abused.