It's Not The Victim's Fault, Folks

[MainerMikeBrown]

Many people claim that they believe that it's 50% the victims fault. But when they hear of a crime being committed, the first thing that comes out of some of these people's mouths are about how the victim was somehow at fault.

They may claim that they think it's 50% the victim's fault, but you could've fooled me! I think that they think it's 85% the victim's fault.

 

[JuggsBunny]

The "victim" can be at fault for what happens IF they were engaging in behaviour that could have repercussions or consequences.

Kid throwing rocks at cars, for example. There is no way to tell what type of person is IN the car and and what his/her reaction will be. Getting shot with a crossbow bolt??? Extreme. But in this case, can I call the "victim" who was shot "innocent"??? No. Not at all. It was the "victim's" behaviour that set the tone for the situation.

 

[porterjack]

The "victim" can be at fault for what happens IF they were engaging in behaviour that could have repercussions or consequences.

Kid throwing rocks at cars, for example. There is no way to tell what type of person is IN the car and and what his/her reaction will be. Getting shot with a crossbow bolt??? Extreme. But in this case, can I call the "victim" who was shot "innocent"??? No. Not at all. It was the "victim's" behaviour that set the tone for the situation.

did the behaviour totally justify the reaction though, we would criticise law enforcement for using more than minimal force, we shoudld also criticize ( prosecute) the shooter in this scenario. The prosectution should no way diminish the punishment of the thrower though, two seperate crimes

 

[JuggsBunny]

The behaviour may NOT have justified the reaction - it is over-the-top. The person that shot the kid with a crossbow should be persecuted by authorities as well. However, the "victim" was actually the perpetrator previous to getting shot. And I have very little sympathy for some asshole kid destroying private property.

 

[HK]

Many people claim that they believe that it's 50% the victims fault. But when they hear of a crime being committed, the first thing that comes out of some of these people's mouths are about how the victim was somehow at fault.

Jeez, what kind of people do you hang around with?

I don't think I've ever told someone about a news story such as someone getting robbed or raped, and had them turn around and say 'well it sounds like their fault'.

You need some new friends!

 

[skyblue]

basically,whether i'd be right or wrong.....anyone who sees fit to rape my daughter gets hunted down,hurt beyond belief and genitalia removed

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

For someone to be minding their own business and then suddenly have something awful happen to them of no fault of their own is traumatic enough. But to have people in our society place partial blame on the victim makes it even harder. It's what therapists call Secondary Wounding Experiences. Ignorant opinions others have can be almost as upsetting to hear as the original trauma.

 

[The Doc]

We had a debate about this before. A female soldier was raped in Bagram Airfield, and at the time of the rape was not carrying her assigned weapon. Your assigned weapon goes with you everywhere. Had she been carrying her weapon, the Afghani National most probly would have not decided to rape her due to the fact he was un-armed. In this situation, my un-biased view is it is 50% the soldiers fault for not carrying her assigned weapon.

 

[retro]

We had a debate about this before. A female soldier was raped in Bagram Airfield, and at the time of the rape was not carrying her assigned weapon. Your assigned weapon goes with you everywhere. Had she been carrying her weapon, the Afghani National most probly would have not decided to rape her due to the fact he was un-armed. In this situation, my un-biased view is it is 50% the soldiers fault for not carrying her assigned weapon.

Wow. I honestly am dumbfounded that you just blamed a woman for being raped. Sure, it was stupid that she didn't have he weapon with her. What if she as carrying concealed? He probably would still have tried it, so would that have been her fault too, because she wasn't open holstered?

 

[Niamh]

We had a debate about this before. A female soldier was raped in Bagram Airfield, and at the time of the rape was not carrying her assigned weapon. Your assigned weapon goes with you everywhere. Had she been carrying her weapon, the Afghani National most probly would have not decided to rape her due to the fact he was un-armed. In this situation, my un-biased view is it is 50% the soldiers fault for not carrying her assigned weapon.

That is a pretty disgusting view imo.

 

[The Doc]

There is no concealed carrying in theatre. Were at war we open carry. if she had her rifle on her which was the rules the afghani worker wouldent have assaulted her. He specifically went looking for a female who wasnt carrying a weapon which was her. Yes it was her fault. If she would have carried her weapon, which was within the rules of CJTF-101 policy she would have not been assaulted.

 

[Accountable]

Yeh! She should be prosecuted for endangerment and aggravated strolling with intent to be assaulted. I believe the penalty for such a heinous crime is 30 days, a fine, and restitution for the poor traumatized assailant. I hear that she might be able to plea bargain down to agreeing to have rough sex with the assailant again.

 

[retro]

There is no concealed carrying in theatre. Were at war we open carry. if she had her rifle on her which was the rules the afghani worker wouldent have assaulted her. He specifically went looking for a female who wasnt carrying a weapon which was her. Yes it was her fault. If she would have carried her weapon, which was within the rules of CJTF-101 policy she would have not been assaulted.

You just completely disgust me. You also didn't answer my question either... but that's about par for the course. You say that he went specifically looking for a female who wasn't carrying a weapon; how do you know this? Have you spoken with the assailant in question? Was it made public record that your assertion is true? Or is it something that you're assuming based on your own biased opinions. Yes, I said biased opinion... because you've exhibited some sort of bias towards women on more than one occasion around here.

It isn't a victim's fault for getting raped... ever. She wasn't asking to be raped, but someone decided to violate her basic human rights.

 

[The Doc]

You just completely disgust me. You also didn't answer my question either... but that's about par for the course. You say that he went specifically looking for a female who wasn't carrying a weapon; how do you know this? Have you spoken with the assailant in question? Was it made public record that your assertion is true? Or is it something that you're assuming based on your own biased opinions. Yes, I said biased opinion... because you've exhibited some sort of bias towards women on more than one occasion around here.

It isn't a victim's fault for getting raped... ever. She wasn't asking to be raped, but someone decided to violate her basic human rights.

I dont have a bias toward women. I love women If you drink and drive and get in a car accident and die.... thats on you. You drank and drove. I dont feel bad for you. This individual female knew she was supposed to carry her weapon on her at all times. Is it a co-incidence retro? I mean of all the female soldiers walking around with their weapons this specific one without her weapon got raped? I have never heard of a female soldier with their weapon being raped? I mean I could be wrong, but I havent heard of one yet? I mean come on retro? Of all the females walking around bagram air field with weapons this assailant chose a female soldier without a weapon? Was it a co-incidence? I think he purposely chose her due to the fact she was not carrying her weapon. I have yet to see a rapist try and rape a women openly carrying a fire arm or accompanied with a buddy (Also a rule @ Bagram air field, you need a battle buddy to walk around after dark) which is another rule this female soldier violated.

Your right retro, she was not asking to be raped. If she asked for it, it wouldent be rape. There were special rules set fourth to make sure things like this dont happen to female soldiers. She decided to not follow them, therefore she made herself vulnerable for it. The government makes laws to keep us safe. One of which is drinking and driving. If i took 6 or 7 shots then got behind the wheel and got into a car accident...that is completely my fault. I violated a law made for my safety, and death was the result. It is sad, but I did it to myself.

 

[Francis]

I dont have a bias toward women. I love women If you drink and drive and get in a car accident and die.... thats on you. You drank and drove. I dont feel bad for you. This individual female knew she was supposed to carry her weapon on her at all times. Is it a co-incidence retro? I mean of all the female soldiers walking around with their weapons this specific one without her weapon got raped? I have never heard of a female soldier with their weapon being raped? I mean I could be wrong, but I havent heard of one yet? I mean come on retro? Of all the females walking around bagram air field with weapons this assailant chose a female soldier without a weapon? Was it a co-incidence? I think he purposely chose her due to the fact she was not carrying her weapon. I have yet to see a rapist try and rape a women openly carrying a fire arm or accompanied with a buddy (Also a rule @ Bagram air field, you need a battle buddy to walk around after dark) which is another rule this female soldier violated.

Your right retro, she was not asking to be raped. If she asked for it, it wouldent be rape. There were special rules set fourth to make sure things like this dont happen to female soldiers. She decided to not follow them, therefore she made herself vulnerable for it. The government makes laws to keep us safe. One of which is drinking and driving. If i took 6 or 7 shots then got behind the wheel and got into a car accident...that is completely my fault. I violated a law made for my safety, and death was the result. It is sad, but I did it to myself.

http://www.cusnc.navy.mil/ctf-ia/documents/afghan_welcome.pdf

Weapons will be on person at all times ( except during PT/Hygiene in amber status on BAF (Chamber and magazine will have loaded magazine, unchanbered)

 

[skyblue]

we have a saying over here,it goes like this...'you can take the boy out of scotland,but you cant take scotland out of the boy'........any nationality can be used

 

[The Doc]

The situation I am mentioning did not involving coming or returning from personal hygiene or PT. Therefore this soldier should have his/her weapon with them.

 

[Alien Allen]

If you knowingly put yourself in a place where bad things can and are known to happen you do have some blame to shoulder.

Nobody deserves to get raped or assaulted. But don't ya think if you go into a dangerous area unarmed when everybody else is armed that you become a potential target?

Lets say I decide to go to downtown Detroit by myself and hit some of the neighborhood bars in the worst part of town. Being a short person I would stand a better chance of getting mugged there. My size and ethnicity would stand out like a sore thumb. If I was that dumb to do that then while not deserving of getting a beat down and being robbed I sure did contribute to the possibility of it happening by going to a place I never should have gone near to.

Bad decisions can lead to unexpected bad consequences.

 

[HK]

This is a tricky idea for me. On the one hand - no one ever asks to get raped. Stupid decisions or no, I don't believe it's fair to say it is anyone's fault that some deviant decided to try rape.

However... I can see what Allen and The Doc mean. There's a difference between being in a common situation, like walking through your own neighbourhood or being at a party and it going horribly wrong because of someone else's intentions, and knowing that you're in a hostile environment and not taking the precautions that are in place specifically to prevent trouble.

I won't say it's that girl's fault that she got raped exactly. No one ever asks for it. But I think she herself must be aware that had she not gone out unarmed and unaccompanied, it probably wouldn't have happened. That must be a hard thing to live with.

 

[The Doc]

Im not saying it is completely the victims fault, but in some situations they do share the blame and they should be told "This is partially your fault because ________, but you do not deserve this". If i dont wear a seatbelt and a drunk driver runs into me and I die... Yes its sad. No i didnt deserve to die, Yes the drunk driver should be punished but lets not forget I as in ME chose not to wear a seatbelt and would be alive today.

In a rape case, A rapist is a rapist. They want to rape, they will find a way to rape... when given an oppertunity... the question to ask is did the victim somehow paint themselvs specifically as an oppertune target or give an oppertunity for it to occur?