Victim Blaming

Written by a Gathering Currents intern, edited by Co-Executive Director Lilly Fellows.

Too often, targets seek support only to be met with judgment, criticism, and harassment for their own experience of harm. This is known as victim-blaming. Statements such as: “Are you sure you said no?” and “What were you wearing?” add more harm to the target. Studies show that these responses stem from our innate belief in a just world. People view the world as a fair place where we get what we deserve. Unfortunately, this is not realistic. Inequalities exist that make some people more likely to be targets than others.

Our belief in a just world can vary between individuals. Countries with greater social mobility and wealth are more likely to believe in a just world (Furnham, 2003). Political ideologies also play a role. One study showed that conservatives' patriotism led to stronger beliefs in a just world compared to liberals (Chambers et al, 2015).

Shockingly, we are more likely to blame targets who are similar to ourselves. This is because we can easily imagine ourselves in the same situation. The “I would never do that” bias comes into play. Targets of severe harm are also more likely to experience blame than targets of mild harm. When we cannot help targets, we often channel this discomfort into blame. Having anxiety about harm being done to ourselves also makes us defensive and more likely to victim-blame.

Now that we understand factors that contribute to victim blaming, we can work to combat it in ourselves and others. One helpful tool is zooming out to see the full picture before making quick judgments about a situation. Cultivate empathy for targets by listening actively to them, respecting their experiences, and working to solve harm rather than placing blame on one person.

Be aware of a phenomenon called the fundamental attribution error. This refers to our tendency to assign consequences to personal factors rather than the situation. For example, one might think “He’s so lazy and unprepared,” when a coworker is late to a meeting, before thinking that traffic was bad that morning. Ironically, our own behavior is not subject to the same bias. We consistently justify our behavior with situational details that distort our objectivity. 

If someone you know is being victim-blamed, support them in ways other people haven't. Validate their experience and emotions. Encourage them to seek other relationships that are supportive. Likewise, be selective about whom you share your experiences with if you think some people will add more harm to the situation.

São Paulo "Image of Injustice" - Tuca Vieira