Victim Blaming in Intimate Partner Violence Cases
You’ve suffered abuse at the hands of someone who claims to care about you. It doesn’t matter if it’s the person you’re married to, someone you’re dating, or someone from your past: if an intimate partner harms you, it is domestic violence, and domestic violence is a crime. Why then, have you been made to feel as though you’re to blame for your situation?
Blaming the Victim
Victims of abuse often suffer negative reactions from all corners of society. It’s certainly the norm that the abuser thinks everything is your fault—(I wouldn’t have had to hit you if you’d just stopped flirting with other people…). Unfortunately, even professionals like police, medical staff, health professionals, and attorneys who are supposed to be on your side sometimes get into the blame game. Worse, friends and family fail to recognize that you are the target of abuse, not the perpetrator. And all too often, society at large makes victims of domestic violence feel devalued and ashamed.
Why Victims are Blamed
Unfortunately, the reasons victims get blamed for the suffering they experience are as varied as can be. Some think victims are too passive, and could get away from the situation if they really wanted to. Others believe the roles in a relationship permit one party to use physical punishment when it’s deemed necessary. Still others think that certain actions deserve a punishment. For members of marginalized communities, for example, many in society believe their lifestyle choices legitimately lead to well-deserved pain and suffering. Finally, there are those who believe people get exactly what they deserve in life, so there must be a reason for the violence, even if it’s not visible to an outsider.
The Impact of Media
When victims are portrayed in a negative way, indicating that they got what they deserved for one reason or another, it’s not difficult to understand why public perceptions of domestic violence are so misplaced. Movies, video games, and television are all powerful platforms that can and do influence public sentiment on this issue.
Domestic Violence is About Control
It’s important to remember that, as the U. S. Department of Justice notes, domestic violence is all about one person’s drive to exert power over an intimate partner in a relationship. Patterns of abuse can be psychological, emotional, economic, sexual, physical, or technological, and can involve both threats and other coercive actions. It instills fear in victims, which sometimes paralyzes them and makes it seem impossible to act in their own best interests. Feeling isolated, humiliated, and powerless, victims may then accept the blame for the situation, praying that it won’t get worse.
Victim Blaming is a Sham
If you’ve suffered domestic violence, know that you are in no way to blame for the situation, nor are you deserving of it. The experienced Miami domestic violence attorneys at The Law Office of Julia Kefalinos will treat you with the dignity and respect you deserve as we provide the legal assistance you need to move forward. Call our Miami office for a confidential consultation today.
Source:
justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence#:~:text=Domestic%20violence%20is%20a%20pattern,control%20over%20another%20intimate%20partner.
