When the victim becomes guilty.
Victim blaming is probably one of the most serious and inhumane behaviors you can have toward a victim who has the courage to report and seek help. It involves blaming them instead of listening, accusing them instead of helping them: making them a double victim.
This phenomenon is much more widespread than one might think and is fueled by gender stereotypes that, unfortunately, in 2024, are still deeply rooted in our society. Secondary victimization primarily affects female victims and can be subtle: it’s the question “what were you wearing?” to a rape victim or the “hey, you even send those photos” to an IBSA victim.
In these cases, the focus shifts from the aggressor to the victim, who becomes partly responsible for what happened. It’s been widely demonstrated that victim blaming can have very serious psychological consequences for victims, who, above all, need to be heard.
Active, empathetic, and nonjudgmental listening should be everyone’s responsibility, from law enforcement to individual citizens, to try as much as possible to avoid secondary victimization.