Sexual Violence in the Modern Times: How to Do Your Part to End Victim Blaming

You would think that the normal default position to adopt would be to side with a victim rather than blame them for the assault. However, it is a worrying modern phenomenon that a victim ends up being subjected to general abuse and finger pointing. Why is this the case?

There is no doubt that if you become embroiled in this sort of situation the smart move would be to seek out a sex crimes attorney who can help you out of a tight spot and achieve the best possible outcome in the circumstances.

When it comes to the subject of victim blaming, here are some key points to consider and also some suggestions to help you do your part to put an end to this modern culture.

Understanding what victim blaming is

There are some regular views that tend to get used regularly when it comes to making observations that are biased in terms of suggesting that the victim has to be considered at fault for the sexual assault that is alleged to have taken place.

Suggesting that the victim should not have drunk as much as they did or accusing them of wearing clothes that could be considered sexually provocative are typical statements that are designed to pin the blame on the victim.

The psychology behind victim blaming is often a case of believing that the victim is not a person of good character or behavior. Basically, if you can make a case for saying that the victim is not a good person you are more likely to be indifferent to their complaint of sexual assault.

If you have decided that a victim has to carry some of the blame because of their character traits and behavior, it becomes easier to be less affected by the allegations made about the alleged perpetrator.

Victims can also sometimes blame themselves

What can also add fuel to the fire of victim blaming is when the victim actually manages to blame themselves for what has happened.

They might think that they could have done more to avoid the attack in the first place, such as not drinking as much as they did or making a better choice of clothes.

This is not a healthy attitude to adopt as it can have a detrimental impact on the victim’s health and mental wellbeing. It should be remembered that sexual assault is always a matter of blaming the accuser for what they have done rather than blaming the victim.

Another unfair consequence of victim blaming is that it can have the effect of increasing the level of mental anguish that they might experience as a result of going through this ordeal.

Before you pass any moral judgment and decide to offer an opinion on an allegation without having a neutral outlook that is not tarnished, remember that you have an opportunity to redress the balance and make it fairer for a victim to deal with what they have been subjected to.

Collaboration.