What is Victim Blaming and why is it so prevalent ? (Wednesday Wonderings)

Trigger warning - Rape

I have just completed the Train the Trainer course with Victim Focus, something i’ve been wanting to do for a few years now. And it did not disappoint. If you haven’t heard of Dr Jessica Taylor (was Eaton) and her wife Jaimi Shrive, they are a force to be reckoned with and work tirelessly to support victims of violence against women and girls, (VAWGs).

Given how terrifying the statistics are regarding male perpetrator violence against women and girls, something that causes even greater harm is that the victims are significantly likely to be blamed for what has happened to them. This pieces explains some of the reasons why.

A definition of Victim Blaming

“The act of transferring the blame for an act of sexual violence away from the perpetrator and placing the blame on the person they have offended against (often called the ‘victim’) Eaton (2017)