History UsefulNotes / VictimBlaming

* Implying that someone's financial or workplace troubles are because they are not "working hard/smart enough".

* Blaming a [[StrugglingSingleMother single parent]] for "choosing" someone who would "run out" on them.

* Telling a victim of harassment/{{Cyberbullying}} to "just ignore them" or "log off". [[labelnote:Further explanation]]Even when the person who's telling the victim to "just ignore them" or "log off" means well, this is dangerous advice, because ignoring harassment can have the exact opposite effect: it can embolden the harasser(s) because they realise that they can get away with it, or they might get bored with the lack of a reaction and decide to escalate the harassment further and further until it does get a reaction out of the victim. Or both. Often, this leads to the harassment escalating to dangerous or even deadly levels. As anyone who worked in victim advocacy can tell you -- the idea that ignoring causes harassment to stop is a myth.[[/note]]

* Insinuating a victim of identity theft or a credit card breach was "buying from shady sellers", was "buying illicit substances/material", [[DigitalPiracyIsEvil was pirating material]], or was buying porn. This not only excuses the people who did the ''actual'' crime (Identity theft), but it also ignores the reality ''of'' such white collar crime: That most of it actually happens in ''completely legitimate places'' and via data breaches.

* Telling a victim of harassment/{{Cyberbullying}} to "just ignore them" or "log off".[[note]]Even when the person who's telling the victim to "just ignore them" or "log off" means well, this is dangerous advice, because ignoring harassment can have the exact opposite effect: it can embolden the harasser(s) because they realise that they can get away with it, or they might get bored with the lack of a reaction and decide to escalate the harassment further and further until it does get a reaction out of the victim. Or both. Often, this leads to the harassment escalating to dangerous or even deadly levels. As anyone who worked in victim advocacy can tell you -- the idea that ignoring causes harassment to stop is a myth.[[/note]]
* Telling a victim of stalking that they should have contacted the authorities.[[labelnote:Further explanation]]Much like ignoring a harasser, this can actually ''embolden'' stalkers. By getting authorities involved, some stalkers will up the ante to show that you can't get rid of them this easily - even if they ''do'' face legal repercussions.[[/labelnote]]

* Blaming a victim of bullying for "letting themselves get bullied", telling them to just fight back[[note]]This does not always work -- much like ignoring the harasser, this may actually ''embolden'' them and encourage them to escalate it; successful bullying is all about finding the weaknesses of the target and surrounding society, so (unless your bully is incompetent) if fighting back would solve the problem they will find a means of attack that neutralizes it (verbal aggression, false accusation, weapons, etc)[[/note]], pointing out [[BullyMagnet the reason they were being bullied]], or excusing the bully's actions or motivations.
* Related to the above, blaming the ''teachers'' because they "could prevent it, but don't" or are "following orders". Teachers have rules to follow, and breaking them can easily get them fired.