On Blaming the Victim
We've all been told that it's wrong to blame the victim. This is said as if blaming the victim would absolve the perpetrator. But that's not how things work. Each of us lives in his or her own world. The fact that the perpetrator of a crime is entirely responsible for his or her own actions doesn't mean that the victim isn't also responsible for theirs.
It's fine to say that people should respect one another's rights and property. Of course they should. But we all know that people sometimes don't. Potential victims (that's all of us!) need to set aside the knowledge that criminals are responsible human beings, and think of them as dangerous animals or machines. If we are victimized, the perpetrator's responsibility for their actions does not in any way diminish our own responsibility to ourselves for having invited or allowed them.
So if you have ever been victimized, maybe you should blame yourself. Then forgive yourself and work on making sure it never happens again.
It's fine to say that people should respect one another's rights and property. Of course they should. But we all know that people sometimes don't. Potential victims (that's all of us!) need to set aside the knowledge that criminals are responsible human beings, and think of them as dangerous animals or machines. If we are victimized, the perpetrator's responsibility for their actions does not in any way diminish our own responsibility to ourselves for having invited or allowed them.
So if you have ever been victimized, maybe you should blame yourself. Then forgive yourself and work on making sure it never happens again.