The Student Room Group
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>

Being expected to take responsibility for your own safety isn't victim blaming

I watched Doctors today (BBC 1) and there was a part where a locum advised a patient not to get so drunk that she wasn't in control of her actions, in case she became a victim of assault, or 'something worse', implying rape.
The patient quickly got defensive and upset, and told the locum she was blaming victims of rape for what happened to them.
The program was clearly biased against the doctor for saying this, but I can't understand why.
I don't think it is part of 'rape culture' to be expected to take precautions against crime, though many people feel it is. Telling people to be careful where they go, how much they drink if they aren't going out with a trustworthy friend, etc, isn't the same as telling someone it's their fault if they do get raped, whether or not they did take precautions.
I thought the whole idea was to stop people getting raped. I think teaching people to be careful and not take silly risks is much more effective towards this aim than just expecting everyone to take note if they are taught not to rape. It's naive to think that if we just made it clear that rape is a bad thing, it would suddenly stop.
What do you think?

Scroll to see replies

inb4 ****storm
Reply 2
Avatar for Jenx301
Jenx301
19
I kinda agree with you. Obviously it's not your fault if you get raped but I think it's sensible just in general life to remind people about the risks of drinking. I see where people are coming from saying it's victim blaming and yeah of course the message should be "don't rape" but at the end of the day rape happens. It does.... like how burglary happens and we tell people to lock their front doors and dont make it look like your house is empty at night etc. I've had doctors say this to me before. I didn't take offense.... but I tend to look at the intentions behind the comment and I don't think the doctor meant any harm by it. At the end of the day, being careful about how much you drink IS good advice.
Yeah, this is true. It's pretty much the same as telling people to lock the doors on their house or car, or not to keep the zip on their bag open etc. It's just common sense.
Original post by TheThiefOfBagdad
inb4 ****storm


There's nothing to have a **** storm about. This is just my thoughts about the matter, I wasn't saying anything particularly controversial.
Original post by Jenx301
I kinda agree with you. Obviously it's not your fault if you get raped but I think it's sensible just in general life to remind people about the risks of drinking. I see where people are coming from saying it's victim blaming and yeah of course the message should be "don't rape" but at the end of the day rape happens. It does.... like how burglary happens and we tell people to lock their front doors and dont make it look like your house is empty at night etc. I've had doctors say this to me before. I didn't take offense.... but I tend to look at the intentions behind the comment and I don't think the doctor meant any harm by it. At the end of the day, being careful about how much you drink IS good advice.


Yeah, its like when girls are told not to walk alone at night. It doesnt mean they are telling you you deserve to get raped if you do. Theyre just telling you its not safe.
Original post by pineneedles
There's nothing to have a **** storm about. This is just my thoughts about the matter, I wasn't saying anything particularly controversial.


I know you weren't but, if this thread gets any momentum, others will.
Original post by driftawaay
Yeah, its like when girls are told not to walk alone at night. It doesnt mean they are telling you you deserve to get raped if you do. Theyre just telling you its not safe.


This is exactly what I was getting at, it's nice that people agree!

Tarring actual victim blaming and good advice with the same brush is dangerous. Having people naively believe that they won't come to any harm simply because society just needs to teach people that rape is wrong is dangerous.
Original post by pineneedles
I watched Doctors today (BBC 1) and there was a part where a locum advised a patient not to get so drunk that she wasn't in control of her actions, in case she became a victim of assault, or 'something worse', implying rape.
The patient quickly got defensive and upset, and told the locum she was blaming victims of rape for what happened to them.
The program was clearly biased against the doctor for saying this, but I can't understand why.
I don't think it is part of 'rape culture' to be expected to take precautions against crime, though many people feel it is. Telling people to be careful where they go, how much they drink if they aren't going out with a trustworthy friend, etc, isn't the same as telling someone it's their fault if they do get raped, whether or not they did take precautions.
I thought the whole idea was to stop people getting raped. I think teaching people to be careful and not take silly risks is much more effective towards this aim than just expecting everyone to take note if they are taught not to rape. It's naive to think that if we just made it clear that rape is a bad thing, it would suddenly stop.
What do you think?


I agree with you but then again I'm probably a rape apologist lol


Posted from TSR Mobile
I agree to an extent but I think the idea is that people shouldn't be told that they should compromise on their freedoms to accommodate potential attackers. The advice about not drinking too much works, but some people take this further and say that women shouldn't dress this way or that to avoid being the target of sexual assault or rape and that I'd have an issue with...
Original post by Hydeman
I agree to an extent but I think the idea is that people shouldn't be told that they should compromise on their freedoms to accommodate potential attackers. The advice about not drinking too much works, but some people take this further and say that women shouldn't dress this way or that to avoid being the target of sexual assault or rape and that I'd have an issue with...


I read somewhere that most sexual attackers choose prey based on body language (like looking vulnerable) more than they do of what the persons wearing

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by pineneedles
There's nothing to have a **** storm about. This is just my thoughts about the matter, I wasn't saying anything particularly controversial.


You must be new here :moon:
Original post by Hydeman
I agree to an extent but I think the idea is that people shouldn't be told that they should compromise on their freedoms to accommodate potential attackers. The advice about not drinking too much works, but some people take this further and say that women shouldn't dress this way or that to avoid being the target of sexual assault or rape and that I'd have an issue with...


I agree with that totally, but being free to dress however you want is completely different to telling someone that they shouldn't drink excessively if they aren't in a safe environment.
It's wrong to say that rapists choose their victims based on how they dress, especially as there is plenty of evidence to show that they do target people who aren't dressing provocatively at all. I'm not an expert on crime, but I think rape is considered an opportunistic act, so seeing someone who is vulnerable, unlikely to be able to fight back, or remember the experience clearly enough to accuse the perpetrator at a later date would likely inspire someone to act out on this.
It's a really difficult thing to say though, as it would be wrong to say to someone who was a victim of rape that it wouldn't have happened if they hadn't drunk to such an excess, because you can't possibly say that was the reason that someone decided to target them, or that the blame lies on them because of this rather than the rapist, because that really would be victim blaming. But regardless of this, it's safer and better for anyone not to drink so much.

It's good advice, but wrong to say to someone after such a thing has happened.
Reply 13
Avatar for zigglr
zigglr
18
Original post by Jenx301
Obviously it's not your fault if you get raped


Debatable. If a girl walks around at 2am alone wearing skimpy clothing, how is it not partly her fault if she gets raped? What about if you don't wear a seat belt and then die in a car crash, is that still not partly your fault either?
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 14
Avatar for Lacesso
Lacesso
9
Original post by pineneedles
I watched Doctors today (BBC 1) and there was a part where a locum advised a patient not to get so drunk that she wasn't in control of her actions, in case she became a victim of assault, or 'something worse', implying rape.
The patient quickly got defensive and upset, and told the locum she was blaming victims of rape for what happened to them.
The program was clearly biased against the doctor for saying this, but I can't understand why....


There's your reason.
Original post by zigglr
Debatable. If a girl walks around at 2am alone wearing skimpy clothing, how is it not partly her fault if she gets raped? What about if you don't wear a seat belt and then die in a car crash, is that still not partly your fault either?


Here we go.
See i completely agree with the OP, but you are victim blaming. Wearing 'skimpy clothing' late at night does not make it someone's fault that they were raped at all.
If someone leaves their door unlocked, sure they made it easier/more likely for someone to burgle them but that doesn't make it their fault that someone else then did a bad thing.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by LiquidGold
Here we go.
See i completely agree with the OP, but you are victim blaming. Wearing 'skimpy clothing' late at night does not make it someone's fault that they were raped at all.
If someone leaves their door unlocked, sure they made it easier/more likely for someone to burgle them but that doesn't make it their fault that someone else then did a bad thing.


There's a difference for fault and making yourself an easier target and that's all people are really saying


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 17
Avatar for Katty3
Katty3
16
Original post by zigglr
Debatable. If a girl walks around at 2am alone wearing skimpy clothing, how is it not partly her fault if she gets raped? What about if you don't wear a seat belt and then die in a car crash, is that still not partly your fault either?


Not her fault in the slightest. It is the rapists fault for raping, not the victims fault for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. What you are doing is victim blaming. A woman has the right to wear whatever she likes.

That analogy is flawed,

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 18
Avatar for zigglr
zigglr
18
Original post by Katty3
Not her fault in the slightest. It is the rapists fault for raping, not the victims fault for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. What you are doing is victim blaming. A woman has the right to wear whatever she likes.

That analogy is flawed,

Posted from TSR Mobile


It is the same as driving a car not wearing a seatbelt, and then dying in a car crash. You are aware that the risk is there, but not taking the necessary precautions that people have repeatedly told you, so how is it not partly your fault if you die in the crash
While it's not actually your fault if you get raped, it's silly and naive to walk around the streets at night wearing skimpy clothing and think "I have every right to do this, people shouldn't be rapists". I should be able to leave my living room window wide open and go to bed without being concerned that people will burgle me, but I know that we don't live in an ideal world and I protect myself by exercising a bit of caution. Same thing.

Quick Reply

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you