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>Advising someone to avoid a dodgy neighborhood isn't victim blaming - it's risk mitigation. The victim-blaming reaction to advising caution is something I've

>Advising someone to avoid a dodgy neighborhood isn't victim blaming - it's risk mitigation. The victim-blaming reaction to advising caution is something I've never understood, and, unfortunately, too often people are colored into one of two bins: You're either an ally or some kind of rapist sympathizer. The fact of the matter is that a rapist (or, to be less severe, someone who puts on continued, unwanted advances or cat calls) isn't reading pieces on Medium or HN, and they're probably not particularly receptive to being told that their behavior is wrong. The people capable of decency already know not to do it in the first place. So why is it so bad to suggest taking control of the situation yourself through risk mitigation? Of course, you shouldn't have to change your behavior, but as it stands it's the only thing you really can, directly, control.

JoeAltmaier 10y ago
Its only a problem when that comment ends the discussion. Its important to go further (than we ever have before) and discuss how to bring the fight to the enemy, so to speak.
- fluxquanta 10y ago
  As someone who considers himself a "good guy", I would love to know how I could help influence potential assaulters to change their thoughts and behavior. However, outside of intervening when I see something fishy (which I have done in the past) or some sort of 1984-esque thoughtcrime prosecution, I don't know what else could be done that would be more effective than risk mitigation on the part of the potential victim. Saying "we need to go further" is a nice thought, but I legitimately don't know what other options are available.
  - JoeAltmaier 10y ago
    That's the dialog. No profit in shutting it down with defeatism. And I admit there's a good deal of frustration behind the nitpicking about "stop blaming the victim!" because that's not follow up with "so do this instead..."
burfog 10y ago
Similarly: don't tell kids to look both ways before crossing the street. It's victim-blaming. It's evidence of a hit-and-run culture.
- qbrass 10y ago
  That was actual public sentiment until the 1920's.

JoeAltmaier 10y ago

Its only a problem when that comment ends the discussion. Its important to go further (than we ever have before) and discuss how to bring the fight to the enemy, so to speak.

fluxquanta 10y ago
As someone who considers himself a "good guy", I would love to know how I could help influence potential assaulters to change their thoughts and behavior. However, outside of intervening when I see something fishy (which I have done in the past) or some sort of 1984-esque thoughtcrime prosecution, I don't know what else could be done that would be more effective than risk mitigation on the part of the potential victim. Saying "we need to go further" is a nice thought, but I legitimately don't know what other options are available.
- JoeAltmaier 10y ago
  That's the dialog. No profit in shutting it down with defeatism. And I admit there's a good deal of frustration behind the nitpicking about "stop blaming the victim!" because that's not follow up with "so do this instead..."

burfog 10y ago

Similarly: don't tell kids to look both ways before crossing the street. It's victim-blaming. It's evidence of a hit-and-run culture.

qbrass 10y ago
That was actual public sentiment until the 1920's.