Victim-Blaming in our Culture

by Claire Bernstein, JCADA Intern

In our culture, there is a tendency to blame victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse for the violence they incur. Victim-blaming is when someone thinks that a victim is at fault for being assaulted or abused or did something to provoke or deserve the violence.  Victim-blaming can take on many forms and the media often perpetuates common victim-blaming statements. Some people blame the victim because of the clothes they were wearing or the amount of alcohol they were drinking. Others assume that if violence occurs, then the victim must have done something to anger or upset the abuser. 

In the recent Steubenville rape case, numerous reporters and other individuals blamed a high school girl for her assault instead of holding the football players who committed the rape accountable. On CNN, reporters empathized with the rapists and downplayed the fact that what they did was wrong and their fault. On Twitter and Facebook, thousands of people claimed that the victim was asking to be raped and blamed the assault on her decision to drink alcohol-not on the actions of the two high school boys.  

So why do we victim-blame? Oftentimes, we want to blame the victim in order to convince ourselves that we could never be a victim of sexual assault or domestic violence. When we accuse the victim, we are able to point out ways in which we are different from the victim, and therefore feel more reassured that the same thing could not happen to us. Furthermore, we victim-blame in order to distance ourselves from the violence. It can be really hard to hear stories about sexual assault, so we place the fault on the victim to further separate ourselves from it and avoid confronting the reality of the issue.

The reality is that victim-blaming can have many detrimental effects on victims. Negative attitudes and language towards victims marginalizes them and makes victims feel like they cannot come forward about the assault or abuse. A victim may be scared that if s/he tells about the violence, then people will begin to blame him/her or not believe what is happening. In addition, when victims hear victim-blaming statements, they begin to internalize these ideas and believe them. Victims may convince themselves that it is really their fault and that they need to take responsibility for the violence. Believing that it is their fault makes the healing process much more difficult for victims because it is hard for them to accept that they are not to blame for the sexual assault or domestic abuse. In addition, it is harder for victims to regain control over their lives when they are constantly hearing victim-blaming statements.

More importantly, when people victim-blame, they are also failing to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. If our society continues to condone victim-blaming, then we will fail to send the message that violence is unacceptable and inexcusable. Perpetrators will continue to feel entitled to gain power and control over others.

In order to change the culture of victim-blaming in our society, it is important that we all show our support for victims of violence and challenge those who continue to blame people for their victimization. When we hear victim-blaming statements, we should question the people who say them and explain why it is never the victim’s fault for experiencing violence and abuse. By avoiding victim-blaming, we can create a community where victims feel more supported and comfortable coming forward about their stories.