Victims should not be blamed for a situation they cannot control. An article named Hard to Believe says, "...because the need to believe that the world is fundamentally just contributes to the rationalization that egregious maltreatment must be somehow deserved by the victim" (Heller). However, these victims don't deserve a consequence of this severity, and they shouldn't feel the need to be held responsible for an unwanted assault.

It's all my fault!

(sobs)

"Rape is a form of sexual assault that federal law enforcement defines as "the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim" (Rape and Sexual Assault).

"According to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), sexual assault refers to the performance of any nonconsensual sexual act prohibited under federal, state, or tribal law" (Rape and Sexual Assault).

"While some people dispute that a rape culture exists, those who attest to its existence contend that US society encourages rape..." (Rape and Sexual Assault).

62% of young women considered themselves to be at fault for their rape or sexual assault.

"It's up to us to help them understand that the sexual assault had nothing to do with their clothing; it had nothing to do with how late they stayed out or how much they drank" (Anderson).

"Anyone can see she's just some sort of attention seeker" (Backman, 347).

The townspeople in Beartown rejected Maya because it was more convenient for themselves. This caused Maya to feel as if the assault was her fault, so unconsciously, she took responsibility for Kevin's actions.

Many people believe that the victims deserve the assault because of "their clothing" or "how much they [drink]" (Anderson).

However, victims should not be "held responsible for the perpetrator's behaviors, choices and actions" (Anderson).

It wasn't your fault. Never take responsibility for what happened to you.

"This socially Darwinistic paradigm illustrates how the offender's advantage over the victim supports a survival of the fittest template. The fittest are elevated, irrespective of their character. Signs of weakness and fragility are subject to condemnation. Power, status, and even gender are the relevant markers for what is valued and esteemed" (Heller).