It’s All Your Fault! Differential Victim Blame under Similar Circumstances

• In Event: Theoretical Perspectives on Gun Laws, Race, Patriarchy, and Victim-Blaming

Abstract

Contemporary and historic victimology research suggests victims may be blamed by the public, either fully or partially, for their own victimization based on a rational progression of how responsible they were for becoming criminal targets. Mendelsohn's victim typologies serve as a starting point for the idea that some victims make choices that contribute to their own victimization, ranking victims’ responsibility for their misfortune. This study uses survey data to demonstrate how victims of a variety of violent crimes receive differential blame despite similar circumstances surrounding their victimization.

Authors

• Ashley Hemsath, Indiana University Bloomington

• Albert Kopak, Western Carolina University