An animated video featuring two stick figures just pointed out how problematic victim-blaming really is.
Created by Blue Seat Studios, the video shows just how senseless it is to blame a victim of rape or sexual assault for their attack. Instead of using sexual assault as the example for victim-blaming, the video uses murder.
In the video, two stick-figure women discuss their friend James who was murdered at a party. One of the women asks textbook victim-blaming questions like “Was he drinking?” and “What was he wearing?”
When the other stick figure asks why it matters what James was wearing when he was murdered, she responds: “You know how he wears all those V-neck t-shirts… I’m just saying, if you don’t want to get stabbed in the neck, consider wearing a turtle neck sweater. “
The questions parallel what so many rape and sexual assault victims are subjected to when they come forward with their stories. Instead of simply believing a survivor, too many people question her story, her behavior and her character.
After one of the stick-figure women asks if they ever found out who killed James, she follows with: “I mean assuming it was a murder and not some assisted suicide thing. Hey, maybe James really wanted this to happen.”
Although the other woman responds that people actually walked in on a guy named Robert killing James, it still ― apparently ― isn’t enough evidence to blame Robert.
“Poor Robert,” the second woman says to her friend. “Really it’s sad how many young peoples’ lives are ruined just because they kill a few people in college.”
Murder is murder and rape is rape; no matter which one it is, it’s never the victim’s fault.
H/T WifeyTV
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