What is Victim Blaming and Why is it Harmful?

Victim blaming occurs when a victim of a crime or any form of wrongful act is held partially or fully at fault for what happened to them. This is a harmful, common and unconscious reaction to crimes and traumatic experiences and it can be found across all cultures and societies. It can be incredibly damaging for survivors of abuse as it creates an environment where they are not believed or supported in their journey.

The root of victim blaming is in the fundamental beliefs and attitudes people have about their world and how they interact with each other. There are many reasons that people may engage in victim blaming; however, most of them revolve around psychological defense mechanisms and societal influences. The most commonly cited reason is that people are conditioned to believe that bad things only happen to good people or that victims brought it on themselves.

When a survivor is victimized, it can be difficult for them to report what happened to them to authorities because of the stigma associated with being seen as not being a “good person.” It is also difficult for victims to seek the help they need to recover because they are afraid of being shamed or judged for having experienced sexual violence or any other traumatic event. This is because victim-blaming is rooted in the fundamental attribution error, a distortion of how individuals attribute causes and consequences to their surroundings.

It’s important for people to understand that victim blaming is normal and it can be a response to the fear, anger, guilt and discomfort caused by a traumatic experience. It is also a way of justifying what happens to a victim as being fair because they could have avoided the traumatic experience.

For example, when a person is mugged, it’s very common for someone to ask them what they were wearing or doing that “provoked” the crime to occur. Similarly, when a child is abused, adults will often question the victim for being “too trusting” or “playing too rough.” This is all a result of victim blaming.

While it may seem like an obvious statement to make, it is vital that victims are able to find safe and supportive people to lean on in their time of need. This is why it’s important that anyone who knows or encounters a survivor of abuse or assault makes it a point to challenge any fault-based statements and questions. It’s also critical to guide them towards safe support systems, such as a therapist or mental health provider, so they can receive the help they need and know that their suffering is not their fault.

By learning more about what victim blaming sounds like and why people do it, you can become more aware of how to support survivors. You can also challenge yourself when you notice that you are unconsciously engaging in this harmful behavior. This is essential for ending the cycle of victim blaming and helping victims to heal.