The statement "It's never the victim's fault" is fundamentally flawed. It implies that there's absolutely nothing the potential victim could do to minimize the risk of becoming a victim. And even if at the end of the day the rapist is clearly at fault, it doesn't mean that it's not your responsibility to take simple precautions to reduce the risk of it to happen. In fact, I argue that telling the victim that he or she is never at fault is not very helpful when it comes to reducing the risk of the crime to happen.
There was some campaign of women saying "Don't tell me how to dress, tell them not to rape".
It is the equivalent of saying "Don't tell me to lock my door, tell them not to steal". -
source (watch it, it explains it much better than my post!)
Or another example, is the child at fault for getting abducted? Certainly not, but does that mean it does not have the responsibility to not let a stranger lure it into some candy van (good old cliche
)? No. It should be taught not to take candy or stuff from strangers, and not be lured by them! "Don't tell me how to teach my children, tell your children not to abduct!". What a moron attitude exactly like the rape example.
Pointing a finger at rape victims telling them it's their fault is stupid and I would never do that. I'm in no way apologizing rape and I stand on the side of victims; but that includes raising awareness of the need of education on how to prevent rape
, for the potential victim's sake. This is not victim blaming, this is giving people advise on how to avoid becoming one. So yes, please, lend them an ear and listen to them when they want to teach you about it. I dislike very much how you are being told that it's never your responsibility and there's nothing you could have done to prevent it - that way you are not taught how to reduce the risks, and it enhances your risk of getting raped. That is my criticism towards such campaigns.
Again: if someone breaks into your house then you are clearly a victim, but does that mean you couldn't have done anything to prevent it, like locking your door? No. That's my answer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T0Gc...r_embedded#t=0
Also, you need to take a look at the definition of rape: feminists redefined it - if they say "yes" and have consensual sex and regret it afterwards, it counts as rape (it's what the "Don't be THAT girl" campaign is against) and the lover can be arrested and his life ruined without further evidence (just look up google cases, thousands). To use this as an example, It'd not be smart if I didn't collect evidence that it wasn't rape beforehand, as a precaution in case I become a victim of false allegations. Textmessages, video- and sound recordings are the only way I can defend myself in court. This goes hand in hand with the thread's subject - it may not be directly my fault, but I can take precautions.
It's important to clarify that this thread is about the rape as in sex that never was consensual to begin with, but forced. That's what you meant, right?
Peace