Nobody is blaming the victim, we're simply observing that some of the CHOICES she made carry additional risk. Just like I sometimes swim alone in the lake in the evening. It should be obvious my risk of accidental drowning increases when nobody is there with me to assist in case I slip and hit my head or something,.
That is one angle of discussion, but he clearly went hunting for 'unacceptable clothing choices.'
Now, if the discussion was about how she should have been appendix carrying, or had brass knuckles on her key ring, or bear spray, or a siren, or something. THAT is a different discussion and I would agree with having something close to hand to be able to defend from any scenario.
But she was out hiking / running. It would be guaranteed that she would be wearing those "unacceptable clothing choices," because that's what women wear to do those activities.
Let me give you a different but similar scenario to illustrate my point.
You live in a small, low-income town on the edge of poverty. You have a friend who unexpectedly inherits $$$ money and proceeds to spend it recklessly and loudly.
She buys herself the most ostentatious sportscar, huge diamond rings and all the cosmetic surgery she could desire. She begins wearing scanty clothes to show off the new figure. She drives the fancy car with the top down, her full cleavage on display, waving her diamond-ring-clad fingers at the townsfolk.
Your friend decides to wear these outrageously large diamonds everywhere, even to the swap meets and local shops where all the homeless are living.
Additionally, the town has been invaded recently by new groups of illegals from countries where rape is a common thing. Crimes have started to increase immensely. The illegals are setting up camps all over town.
Your friend seems unbothered by this and regularly takes photos of, and posts to social media, all of her latest jewelry buys, her new big screen TV and her fancy car, accidentally allowing her home address to be seen in her public photos. She also posts photos of her going on her daily run in the forest by herself, showing exactly what trail she runs on.
Is it any wonder that she is now more likely to become the victim of a crime by ne'er-do-wells? Is she really not a contributing factor in this, particular case?
Okay, so your new theoretical scenario is just another play on "she was asking for it."
People are allowed to buy what they want. People are allowed to wear what they want. People are allowed to 'flaunt' whatever they want.
The argument should be focused on self-protection: gun, brass knuckles on keychain, bear spray, siren, etc. It should be focused on: situational awareness and not dropping your guard when you're out alone.
To your point, she would only be a contributing factor in that she didn't have the self-protection or situational awareness. Two elements that are vastly more productive forms of discussion to help people moving forward.
Someone will attack anyone for any reason regardless of what they're wearing or not.
Actions = Response. This is a fact of life. Is the criminal wrong to harm her? Absolutely. Was she a contributing factor? Maybe.
If you are rude and yell at someone, chances are, they'll yell back. Why wouldn't they?
If you kick your sweet puppy in public, should you not expect strangers to react and stop you?
If you drive without insurance and don't wear a seatbelt and tend to speed a lot, don't be surprised that when you inevitably get in an accident causing injury to yourself and others that you will be found at fault or at least partial culpability and no one will pay your bills for you.
If you leave the doors to your home unlocked and leave the curtains open and run around naked while the homeless weirdos walk by everyday, might you be enticing bad people to enter? Yes.
Be smart. Be aware. Secure your surroundings. Don't put yourself in unsafe situations. Prevention is worth your life sometimes.
Are you blaming the victim...!?
"She was wearing ___, so she was asking for it."
You're ridiculous and disgusting.
Nobody is blaming the victim, we're simply observing that some of the CHOICES she made carry additional risk. Just like I sometimes swim alone in the lake in the evening. It should be obvious my risk of accidental drowning increases when nobody is there with me to assist in case I slip and hit my head or something,.
That is one angle of discussion, but he clearly went hunting for 'unacceptable clothing choices.'
Now, if the discussion was about how she should have been appendix carrying, or had brass knuckles on her key ring, or bear spray, or a siren, or something. THAT is a different discussion and I would agree with having something close to hand to be able to defend from any scenario.
But she was out hiking / running. It would be guaranteed that she would be wearing those "unacceptable clothing choices," because that's what women wear to do those activities.
Let me give you a different but similar scenario to illustrate my point.
You live in a small, low-income town on the edge of poverty. You have a friend who unexpectedly inherits $$$ money and proceeds to spend it recklessly and loudly.
She buys herself the most ostentatious sportscar, huge diamond rings and all the cosmetic surgery she could desire. She begins wearing scanty clothes to show off the new figure. She drives the fancy car with the top down, her full cleavage on display, waving her diamond-ring-clad fingers at the townsfolk.
Your friend decides to wear these outrageously large diamonds everywhere, even to the swap meets and local shops where all the homeless are living.
Additionally, the town has been invaded recently by new groups of illegals from countries where rape is a common thing. Crimes have started to increase immensely. The illegals are setting up camps all over town.
Your friend seems unbothered by this and regularly takes photos of, and posts to social media, all of her latest jewelry buys, her new big screen TV and her fancy car, accidentally allowing her home address to be seen in her public photos. She also posts photos of her going on her daily run in the forest by herself, showing exactly what trail she runs on.
Is it any wonder that she is now more likely to become the victim of a crime by ne'er-do-wells? Is she really not a contributing factor in this, particular case?
Okay, so your new theoretical scenario is just another play on "she was asking for it."
People are allowed to buy what they want. People are allowed to wear what they want. People are allowed to 'flaunt' whatever they want.
The argument should be focused on self-protection: gun, brass knuckles on keychain, bear spray, siren, etc. It should be focused on: situational awareness and not dropping your guard when you're out alone.
To your point, she would only be a contributing factor in that she didn't have the self-protection or situational awareness. Two elements that are vastly more productive forms of discussion to help people moving forward.
Someone will attack anyone for any reason regardless of what they're wearing or not.
Actions = Response. This is a fact of life. Is the criminal wrong to harm her? Absolutely. Was she a contributing factor? Maybe.
If you are rude and yell at someone, chances are, they'll yell back. Why wouldn't they?
If you kick your sweet puppy in public, should you not expect strangers to react and stop you?
If you drive without insurance and don't wear a seatbelt and tend to speed a lot, don't be surprised that when you inevitably get in an accident causing injury to yourself and others that you will be found at fault or at least partial culpability and no one will pay your bills for you.
If you leave the doors to your home unlocked and leave the curtains open and run around naked while the homeless weirdos walk by everyday, might you be enticing bad people to enter? Yes.
Be smart. Be aware. Secure your surroundings. Don't put yourself in unsafe situations. Prevention is worth your life sometimes.
Yes!!!!