Its important to understand our tendency to blame the victim.
Learning more about why it happens can help us stopblaming others or ourselves.
Victim Blaming Examples
The first step in stopping victim blaming is recognizing when it occurs.
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Reasons Victim Blaming Occurs
Sometimes, people engage in victim blaming to help themselves feel better.
They feel safer if they can imagine that the victim did something wrong.
We see this involving other crimes too, not just sexual assault.
Initially, the participants were upset as they witnessed the victims suffering.
Afterward, all participants were asked to share their opinion of the victim.
Blaming the victim reinforces the notion that bad things happen to bad people.
It also serves as a form of self-protection.
It overlooks the fact that perpetrators are at fault for inflicting pain and committing crimes.
Why Victims Blame Themselves
Victims sometimes blame themselves for the same reason others blame them.
In some cases, they too want to believe the world is fair.
Blaming themselves may also help them feel safer in some ways.
Sometimes its easier to convince ourselves, If I dress conservatively, this wont happen to me ever again.
Or If I didnt drink so much, I would have been able to fend off my attacker.
Suchtoxic self-blame, however, is unhealthy.
Its always the perpetrators fault.
On a societal level, it means fewer crimes get reported and fewer predators get prosecuted.
Victim blaming also reinforces predator-like attitudes.
It allows perpetrators to avoid being held accountable for their actions.
Victim blaming can lead to increased and unnecessary suffering for the victims.
This may increase unhelpful emotions likeshame and guiltas it delays their healing.
It may also add to their toxic self-blame.
But we still have a long way to go before this ends.
In the meantime, survivors of sexual assault must know that what happened to them is not their fault.
All of these can help provide support and guidance during sexual assault recovery.
2021;36(5-6):NP3153-NP3186.
2014;23(1):74-93. doi:10.1080/10538712.2014.864747
