Victim blaming is a phenomenon that occurs when the victim of an illegal or unjust act is wholly or partially held responsible for what happened to them. This phenomenon occurs all the time, and it is very damaging not just to the victim but to our society. So why is it happening?

In part, we blame the victim because we do not want to believe that something terrible could happen to us.

It makes us feel safer if we think that the victim just did not handle the situation “correctly.” It feels safer to think that we are in control of whether or not we become victims of crimes. Also, people tend to hold the belief that people deserve what happens to them. Holding this belief makes someone more likely in engage in victim blaming. While it might make us feel more secure, victim blaming is very damaging.

One of the major concerns around victim blaming is that we are not holding perpetrators responsible.

By focusing on the actions of the victim, we are minimizing the actions of the perpetrator and their effect on the victim. Victims, in particular victims of sexual assault, often report that the way they were treated after the assault felt worse than the actual assault. It also sends the message that perpetrators are not obligated to take responsibility for their actions, which reinforces the behavior. In addition, it completely changes the way we view victims, in particular victims of sexual assault. So, victim blaming casts victims as damaged, irresponsible people who deserve what happened to them.

Obviously, this must stop. We need to stop putting victims through secondary trauma by blaming them for what was done to them. The way our culture views victims and their perpetrators needs to change. We need to be intentional about projecting different messages about an assault, abuse, and trauma in general.

Written By: Elizabeth Kraich, LAPC