Victim Blaming project launched to mark Victims of Crime Day

TODAY, Monday 22nd February, is the European

Day for Victims of Crime and this year, local charity Victim Support NI, are launching a campaign to #Stopvictimblaming.

The project aims to educate around the issue of victim blaming, which many of us can do subconsciously.

Chief Executive of Victim Support NI, Geraldine Hanna, explains, “Have you ever heard of someone’s car being stolen, and quietly reflected, ‘Well, I wouldn’t have left my car there, of course someone was going to steal it.’

“This is the perfect example of victim blaming and it is part of a perspective called the ‘Just World’ theory, which helps us make sense of a complex world. Most of us believe that good things happen to good people and we therefore believe something in the victim’s behaviour or actions led to the crime. It helps us to feel safer.

“However, victim blaming often means that we judge victims, and that can sometimes make it more difficult for them to come forward and seek help.

“We hope this project makes people stop and think before they point the finger of blame at the victim.”

To illustrate this point, Victim Support NI commissioned five local illustrators and a singer/ songwriter, to represent various ways in which victims can be blamed, when the reality is that crime is never the victim’s fault.

These include representations of domestic violence, sexual crimes, assault, robbery and those who have a past criminal history themselves.

All five postcards, plus a recording of the song from Paddy Nash called Five Postcards, are on the Victim Support NI website at www.victimsupportni.com/aboutus/stop-victim-blaming where you can also see the explanations around why we think the way we think.

If you have been a victim of crime and require support, you can call Victim Support NI at their Belfast Hub: 02890 243133 or Foyle Hub: 02871 370086.