What is Victim Blaming?
Victim blaming is any language or behaviour that implies (whether intentionally or unintentionally) that a person is partially or wholly responsible for abuse they have experienced. It can also make a victim feel ashamed of reporting or speaking out about their experience, and may discourage them from seeking support and justice for their trauma and harm.
The reason people engage in victim blaming is that they think it will help them feel safer, as it reinforces their belief that there are specific things they can do to avoid being harmed. This is often a comforting idea, but can have the opposite effect as it reduces people’s empathy for others. It can also make them unwilling to accept that other people may behave in harmful ways, and this lack of empathy can be exacerbated by a belief that we live in a world where we get what we deserve.
This belief can also be fueled by a desire to fit in with the dominant social norms of the time. In the case of rape and other forms of sexual assault, this can include the expectation that victims should be grateful to their attackers for ‘letting them have fun’ or for’making good use of’ them. This can result in victims feeling guilty and depressed about their experiences, and may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, health issues, or even suicide.
There are many reasons why people engage in victim blaming, but the most common is that it makes them feel safer. They may also believe that they can predict or pre-empt crime, and that it is their responsibility to protect themselves and others from harm. This is a very difficult task to achieve, and so it is understandable that people might seek reassurance in blaming victims for their actions, or trying to find other reasons why their traumatic experiences were inevitable.
When someone fails to do well in a test, it is very common for them to attribute their failure to internal characteristics such as laziness or intelligence. It is also very common for people to do this when they hear about a crime such as a murder, or a sexual assault. People may question what the victim could have done to prevent the crime, or find excuses for why it happened, such as wearing inappropriate clothing or being out alone late at night.
It is important that we, as professionals, challenge victim blaming in a way that is sensitive and respectful of the experiences of the survivors we work with. This is particularly important if they are members of minoritised groups such as LGBT+, children and adults with disabilities/learning and support needs or Black, Asian and other minority group communities.
It is not always possible to change the attitudes and beliefs of those who victim blame, but we can try to reassure them that what they have experienced is not their fault and that it is not acceptable for anyone to blame them. This can be difficult, especially if the person is someone you trust or respect, but it can also have the added benefit of helping them to realise that not everyone believes them and that they do not need to be alone in their experiences.