Essay On Victim Blaming

Victim Blaming – Final Paper

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), an American is sexually assaulted every two minutes. However, most of these assaults are never talked about, reported, or given justice. One of the biggest reasons for the silence that surrounds sexual assault is due to victim blaming According to UsLegal 's website, victim blaming is defined as "a devaluing act where the victim of a crime, an accident, or any type of abusive maltreatment is held as wholly or partially responsible for the wrongful conduct committed against them" (USLegal). In essence, victim blaming occurs when, instead of the attacker being blamed for their crimes against the victim, the victim is blamed and is at fault because they
This occurs because victims know that they will be blamed by society based on their habits, sexual activity, or how they dress. Because of this unbelief and blame towards the victim, many rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. Since women are dissuaded from reporting, they are forced to live through the trauma in their daily lives and the attackers are still out on the streets looking for their next victims. Victim blaming reinforces sexual assaults and distances people away from the victims. Many victims are seen differently by family and friends as they are seen as “unclean” or “different” due to their forced sexual experience. Although it is mostly talked about in regards to women, it is a real issue for all individuals. In “The Classic Rape: When Do Victims Report?,” by Linda S. Williams from the University of Washington, Williams suggests that victims of the “classic rape” (when the victim is attacked by a stranger), are more likely to report the rape because they feel and see themselves as “true crime victims” (Williams 459). However, rapes where the victims know their attacker are less likely to be reported because the women feel that they had some sort of responsibility or
In light of the recent Brock Turner case, the media was quick to point out all of the star qualities of the rapist, Brock Turner, and quick to point out that the victim was intoxicated. Brock Turner’s family emphasized that their son should not go to jail because he was a talented swimmer and had a bright future ahead of him (Levin). The media tries to justify the assault against the victim and benefit the rapist by describing them in a way where the public sympathizes with them. This steals the sympathy and support away from the victim who should be rightfully supported. In “Sexual Assault Prevention Tips” by Feminally, Feminally satirically but seriously puts all the responsibility on the perpetrator/person who could potentially be a perpetrator (Feminally 347). It is ironically written, but it gets the point across. One of the tips goes: “USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM! If you are not able to stop yourself from assaulting people, ask a friend to stay with you while you are in public” (Feminally 347). Almost always, young girls are taught to never walk alone and to always live in fear when they are—Feminally places all the responsibility on potential attackers that sexual assault begins with them. In a perfect world, women would not feel the need to take self-defense classes or carry pepper spray in their bags in order to be prepared for a potential assault. Victims, who are mostly women,