Arguments Against Victimization
There were examinations made by theorists that suggest some people are, in fact,
victim prone and argue that, similar to the concept of born criminals , there are born
victims (Moriarty, 2003). Born victims are individuals who seem to be self
destructive and studies have proclaimed that they are responsible, to some degree, for
their own victimization. There is a continuous reciprocal action between predators
and victims (Moriarty, 2003). There are two main ways precipitative behavior can
come about, this being both actively and passively. In active precipitation, explained
by Wolfgang, it states that the victimis behaving in a threatening, violent, almost
intolerable, manner with the offender, which can have the victim involve themselves
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In order for an individual to fully protect themselves against victimization, they
would need to seriously alter their whole life. To some degree, everyone in society
has no choice but to involve themselves in risky behavior (Moriarty, 2003). There
are situations that are completely out of one s control, and circumstances that can
not be changed. For instance, some people could live in a higher crime rate
neighborhood, so no matter what, stepping outside of the confines of their home
is a risk. But it is a risk worth taking because people need to run errands, go out to
eat, go to work, etc. They can not be responsible if they are a victim of crime by
choosing to not live in fear. Blaming the victim, even slightly, then diminishes full
responsibility for the offender. The concept of victim precipitation provides a
cultural framework which offenders can use to rationalize their behavior (Moriarty,
2003, p. 32). To better put this into perspective, in 2016, the Stanford University
swimmer, Brock Turner, was charged with sexual assault. After serving only three
months, he was given an earlier release date. Arguments, in this case, stated that the
woman should have never been as intoxicated as she was. The real argument here
should have been, Mr. Turner never laying a hand on her in any way (Shariff
Wiseman, 2016). Offenders should almost always take full responsibility for
immersion in crime, because when victim blaming occurs, it impacts the victim
emotionally, mentally, and psychologically. It even has the possibility of the
punishment for the offender become less severe. To add on, the creation of victim
blaming creates culturally legitimate victims , which is incredibly harmful to those