The Negative Effects of Victim Blaming in Sexual Assault Victims

                                                                                                                                    JSOTR Daily, (2015) https://images.app.goo.gl/iEJeDmDAqiwc2j7o8  



 When it comes to sexual assault the worst thing to do as an outsider is blame the victim. When victims come forward about sexual assault people tend to doubt them. People would rather believe a potential rapist than a potential liar. Partaking in this mindset creates a dangerous environment for all victims. Victim blaming negatively impacts a victim's mental health with effects like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), along with their healing process.

 

Why do people victim blame? Much victim blaming comes from the psychological worldview, just-world theory. For the world to be a just place that means bad things don’t just happen to good people, there must be a reason. People hold this tendency to blame the victim so they can see the world as fair. This view is entirely incorrect, as the world is nowhere near fair or just. People fail to see how other attributes affected another’s misfortune.

 

Other reasons for victim blaming occur in the idea of gender roles and the occurrences of drugs or alcohol. People with traditional gender role beliefs increase the occurrence of condemning victims as they believe women are lower in status. A study from 2019, published by Frontiers in Psychology, shows a high correlation between benevolent sexism and victim blaming. Victim blaming also heavily occurs when there was involvement of drugs or alcohol. Sexual assault cannot be attributed to the victim, only the offender.

                                                                        Dylan, M. (2019). https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/art-exhibit-what-were-you-wearing-texas-am/

People victim blame to distance themselves from the tragic event. They feel that blaming the victim gives them reassurance that they will not be a victim (Inside Southern, 2022). They have a thought process that if they are not like the victim, they will not be one. Being a victim of sexual assault is not contagious. People who believe putting victims down will keep them safe from sexual assault feed into harmful delusions. 


But what about people who lie about sexual assault? This seems to be everyone's biggest concern when someone comes forward with sexual assault. There is a very simple solution, separate from the offender and support the victim until more evidence is out. It is unfair to victims to call them liars but stay connected with someone who has ties to sexual assault or rape. The number of false reports is extremely low, but the media chooses to promote those stories. Brown University did a study on false reports. They discovered that only 2% to 10% are false reports. The real problem with 'false reports' is not that victims are not coming forward. 

The Enliven Project https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/01/the-enliven-project-s-false-rape-accusations-infographic-great-intentions-but-it-isn-t-accurate.html Designed by Paul Pierson, 2013

 

“Within this culture of victim blaming, women are told to change their own behavior in order to avoid being assaulted or raped. Women are told repeatedly to dress less provocatively, drink less alcohol, and not put themselves in risky situations. This proliferates the belief that [victims] are at fault when they are attacked and leads to a lack of accountability for [abusers and perpetrators of sexual violence].” (Changing the Culture of Victim Blaming).

 

How does this affect the victim? Psychiatrists classify victim-blaming as a secondary assault. Victims of sexual assault feel shame, this is internalized from the emotional and mental injury. This feeling of shame is fed by accusatory blames and additional trauma. The action of victim blaming becomes irreversible trauma. When this occurs, victims experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

 

Victim blaming has been positively correlated to PTSD in female and male sexual assault survivors. A study conducted in 2022 by Sage concluded that, "The main effect of victim blaming was significant and positive in direction when examining both PTSD symptoms and unhealthy alcohol use". A negative reaction following disclosure creates heighted distress.


The feelings of self-blame that victims experience also involuntarily opens them and others to further attacks. Self-blame leaves victims depressed and sometimes suicidal. When this hatred of self is portrayed in the media other survivors tend to find more doubt in themselves. Media has normalized victim blaming and sexual assault. Many find it unsurprising that every one in six women in the United States faces sexual assault (RAINN, 2020). The manifestation of hatred and blame wounds all victims and removes an opportunity to heal. 


When outsiders attack the victim, it creates an unstable environment for all survivors of sexual assault.  Victims become less likely to come forward in fear of the endless attacking questions. This leaves victims without support, care, or treatment. Without these resources, victims experience worsening symptoms of psychological illness. 


                                                                                                            Tomaz B. (2016). https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a19910079/sexual-assault-blame/


How can outsiders help? Asking hurtful questions prolongs a survivor's road to recovery. When Victims disclose their sexual assault the easiest thing to do is doubt them. But that is not the right mindset. To help victims in their healing process an outsider needs to be understanding and willing to listen.  Another reason people victim blame is because they lack empathy. They do not understand the situation and make no effort to. This is why it is important to practice empathy when talking with sexual assault victims. Try and see the event through their eyes instead of taking an outsider's view. 


It is also important to encourage survivors to find resources that will help. This does not mean they have to report it to the police, but it could be calling the sexual assault hotline or finding a therapist. Remember, only the perpetrator of a crime is responsible for their actions, not the victims. 

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