Victim Blaming

Victim blaming is the process of placing responsibility for a crime or trauma on a victim, especially when it is viewed as inevitable or unavoidable. It’s a common reaction to tragedy, but it isn’t limited to crimes like murder or rape. Anything from assuming someone could have done more to avoid being pickpocketed to judging a person who was raped for being intoxicated at the time of an assault is a form of victim blaming.

When victims are blamed, it can make them feel isolated and unable to find support because they believe no one will listen or believe them. It can also reduce their sense of trust and lead to increased feelings of post-trauma stress, depression and health problems. It’s important to understand how and why victim blaming happens so that we can address it and prevent it.

There are a number of reasons people engage in victim blaming, and it can be influenced by many different factors, including their own experiences, background and culture. For example, women are more likely to face victim blaming than men, and the way they are blamed can vary by gender. Davies and Rogers found that men are often blamed for behavioral elements like being careless or not fighting back, whereas females are sometimes blamed for a lack of assertiveness or “being too trustworthy.” Likewise, some cultures are more prone to victim-blaming than others. Niemi and Young’s research suggests that it may be related to moral values: those with stronger binding values tend to favor protecting a group, while those with more individualizing values prefer to protect an individual.

In addition to these personal influences, the media can play a role in victim blaming as well. The stories we read about crimes in the news are often about strangers rather than people we know, which can prompt a cognitive dissonance between our ingrained belief that the world is fair and the clear evidence that it is not. This can lead to victim blaming, particularly when the coverage emphasizes a perpetrator’s actions and beliefs over the victim’s experience and story.

Whether or not you personally blame victims, it’s crucial to recognize that bad things do happen to good people, and that sexual violence isn’t the victim’s fault. This article can help you think of ways to challenge victim blaming when it occurs, and support survivors in their healing journey by listening to them and believing them. You can even encourage them to seek professional support if they are struggling with symptoms of post-traumatic stress.