Victim Blaming

A common modern day practice is to resist passing blame on a victim regardless of how the victim arrived at becoming a victim.

“Victim-blaming doesn’t have to involve accusing survivors of directly causing their own misfortune. It can involve the simple thought that you would have been more careful, implying that the tragedy was at least partially their fault.”


https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/supersurvivors/201803/why-do-people-blame-the-victim

Another example,

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot blamed retailers for not making safety a priority amid a string of smash-and-grab thefts at retail stores in recent months.


"We still have retailers that won't institute plans like having security officers in their stores, making sure that they've got cameras that are actually operational, locking up their merchandise at night, chaining high-end bags. These purses can be something that is attracting a lot of organized retail theft units," Lightfoot said Monday.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/chicago-mayor-lori-lightfoot-blames-retailers-smash-grab-thefts

My question is should a victim always be without judgement? Good laws and good policies must understand human nature as described by James Madison and George Washington.

“As there is a degree of depravity in mankind which requires a certain degree of circumspection and distrust: So there are other qualities in human nature, which justify a certain portion of esteem and confidence. Republican government presupposes the existence of these qualities in a higher degree than any other form.”

-James Madison, Feb. 15, 1788 (Federalist No. 55)

“We must take human nature as we find it, perfection falls not to the share of mortals.”

-George Washington, Aug. 15, 1786 (letter to John Jay)

When understanding human nature we do not live in a world of moral perfection. We live in a fallen world with a fallen human nature.

Should I in theory be able to keep my doors unlocked? A nation have an open border? An individual walk down a dark alley in a crime infested neighborhood? A women wearing 30% of clothing going to a house party with a bunch of men and everyone is drinking? Depending solely on police with by average a 15 min response time? There are probably many more examples of when we understand human nature, is it wise to practice such behaviors without thinking the probability of human wickedness may arise?

In theory we shouldn't have to worry about others choices but we live in a reality and a world ruled by Satan.

Should people be wiser in understanding human nature? Should some level of blame be on the victim in specific circumstances or never at all? The criminal will always be held accountable but do some bad laws or poor thinking invite crime? For example, gun free zones like schools.

A common modern day practice is to resist passing blame on a victim regardless of how the victim arrived at becoming a victim.

“Victim-blaming doesn’t have to involve accusing survivors of directly causing their own misfortune. It can involve the simple thought that you would have been more careful, implying that the tragedy was at least partially their fault.”


https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/supersurvivors/201803/why-do-people-blame-the-victim

Another example,

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot blamed retailers for not making safety a priority amid a string of smash-and-grab thefts at retail stores in recent months.


"We still have retailers that won't institute plans like having security officers in their stores, making sure that they've got cameras that are actually operational, locking up their merchandise at night, chaining high-end bags. These purses can be something that is attracting a lot of organized retail theft units," Lightfoot said Monday.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/chicago-mayor-lori-lightfoot-blames-retailers-smash-grab-thefts

My question is should a victim always be without judgement? Good laws and good policies must understand human nature as described by James Madison and George Washington.

“As there is a degree of depravity in mankind which requires a certain degree of circumspection and distrust: So there are other qualities in human nature, which justify a certain portion of esteem and confidence. Republican government presupposes the existence of these qualities in a higher degree than any other form.”

-James Madison, Feb. 15, 1788 (Federalist No. 55)

“We must take human nature as we find it, perfection falls not to the share of mortals.”

-George Washington, Aug. 15, 1786 (letter to John Jay)

When understanding human nature we do not live in a world of moral perfection. We live in a fallen world with a fallen human nature.

Should I in theory be able to keep my doors unlocked? A nation have an open border? An individual walk down a dark alley in a crime infested neighborhood? A women wearing 30% of clothing going to a house party with a bunch of men and everyone is drinking? Depending solely on police with by average a 15 min response time? There are probably many more examples of when we understand human nature, is it wise to practice such behaviors without thinking the probability of human wickedness may arise?

In theory we shouldn't have to worry about others choices but we live in a reality and a world ruled by Satan.

Should people be wiser in understanding human nature? Should some level of blame be on the victim in specific circumstances or never at all? The criminal will always be held accountable but do some bad laws or poor thinking invite crime? For example, gun free zones like schools.

When I was in the military there were places we were not allowed to go (even in the US) because they were not considered safe by the chain of command. If you went there, and ended up the victim of a crime... you'd get punished for disobeying a lawful order not to go there in the first place. (Granted, they did not always do a great job of publishing the list of off-limits places...)

In the Torah, if a rape victim doesn't cry out- she will not be held guiltless. Somebody will say, "But, but, but, That's not fair! What if she fears for her life!?!?" Doesn't matter. Faith obeys the Lord. Fear is not an excuse. There's no civilians in spiritual warfare- the enemy comes to your door, and not fighting isn't an option. That premise was in place to discourage people from playing the victim. Realistically, I highly doubt the elders in Israel were executing actual rape victims, whether or not someone heard them cry out- but it's in the law so that you know that is what you are supposed to do and you CAN be punished for being a deceiver or a passive victim.

Whenever a victim is punished, it's never for the crime done to them that makes them a victim- it's always specifically for what THEY DID that they were NOT SUPPOSED TO DO- which might have led to the circumstances of their victimhood, but even if it didn't, there were still not supposed to do it, and they could still be punished even if it didn't lead to those circumstances- and the fact that you became a victim doesn't always get you out of punishment. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Or sometimes you get punished for not doing something you were supposed to do that could have prevented you from being a victim in the first place. Either way, if you end up being punished, it's for disobedience and not for being a victim.

If you go down into the slums under a bridge and wave a Big Mac in front of a starving homeless guy and eat it, saying "look what I got homeless guy!", and he punches you in the face and takes it from you... yeah, the homeless guy is wrong, and the law will probably punish him, but nobody is going to give you any sympathy. You're an idiot! It might not be unlawful to wave a cheeseburger in front of the starving poor, but it's definitely immoral- and I think most people will recognize that, and say you got what you deserved.

The law typically draws the line at physical violence- but the reality is, sometimes non-physical abuse is worse. I'd rather be slapped in the face than sleep deprived any day. Narcissists tend to be very good at harming people or exploiting them in ways that do not leave evidence and provokes their victims to do violence against them or behave irrationally, so that the narcissist can play the victim while being the instigator and aggressor. That's why people that claim they are victims tend to get treated with skepticism, and why judgement and mercy can be slow. Things are not always what they seem.

Should we write people tickets for forgetting to lock their cars and businesses, or for forgetting to wear a belt so their underwear occasionally becomes exposed? Probably not. Can we withhold our sympathy from victims if they became victims by overtly acting like a fool? Sure can.

What Christ said on the road to Emmaus was based on the Hebrew Scriptures and other known writings in current use at the time. Not on the Talmud.

I think people perish through lack of knowlege and hindsight is always 20/20

some things you cannot know before you experience them though. Which is why young people or those extremely sheltered sometimes have a rude awakening when they find out that the world does not revolve around them.

Job was righteous and yet bad things happened to him. Why was that...did he invite trouble BECAUSE he was so righteous? He didnt know that satan was having a wager with God. Sometimes trials are sent to test us...and to see that we stay faithful in spite of all the dangers and pitfalls.

A common modern day practice is to resist passing blame on a victim regardless of how the victim arrived at becoming a victim.

In the day and age that we live in, the idea that everyone is a victim has become commonplace (at least in the West). This is particularly true about criminals who plead that they have committed heinous crimes because they were victimized in childhood (whether true or false).

The sad fact is that many people choose to become victims rather that ensure that they will not be victimized. Take the case of the women who started the #MeToo Movement. They made deliberate choices to be in the presence of predators, and probably dressed provocatively, and even drank alcohol in a partying atmosphere. Did they really think they could walk away from such a dangerous situation? Take the other case of single women jogging on city streets in the early morning hours. Anyone with an iota of commonsense would know that this is simply asking for trouble.

As to Lori Lightfoot's smart remarks, why did not all the business owners in Chicago make a concerted effort -- long ago -- to have her removed from office by any and all means, since she already established a record of being a totally irresponsible mayor? The whole point of civil government is to protect citizens from criminals (or rotten cops) with an effective police force. But that is not what is happening at all today. Hardened criminals are being released with abandon, and politicians have been calling for defunding the police. That is insanity. Smash-And-Grab has become the norm in many cities in the USA.

Victim blaming is a slippery slope. Use caution when choosing to do so........

Lest we forget, the most used defense by a rapist:

"Well, if she hadn't been dressed like that, i wouldn't have done it. She was asking for it."

Yeah, be real careful with victim blaming

How many exactly?

"Well, if she hadn't been dressed like that, i wouldn't have done it. She was asking for it."

Many of us are talking about how our culture tries to erase any responsibility from the victim.

If you get into many different wrecks then your insurance will go up. Unfortunately, if too many in a period of time get into accidents, it may cause everyone's insurance to go up regardless of driving history.

In a society, one's actions are hardly left in a void where they do not affect others.