Must be dressed revealingly?", "Why didn't you scream or run away then?", "Why go out at night alone to be groped?", "Is there a joke that people misunderstand?"...
These are familiar questions, appearing as a toxic reflex from a part of the online community every time a case of harassment or sexual assault is brought to light.
Instead of focusing on punishing the perpetrator, a part of public opinion tends to ask suspicious questions against the victim, even pointing the finger at the victim, dissecting every detail from the dress they wear, the time to go out to the attitude.
That baseless blame inadvertently erects an unfair sentence, turning the person who is hurt into the one who must take responsibility for the depraved acts of others.
For a person who has experienced feelings of being harassed and abused, the incident itself has completely deprived them of their sense of security and control over their body and life.
However, the tragedy did not stop there. The suspicion and negative judgments from a large number of netizens continued to push them into a state of "secondary harm" with a level of psychological devastation no less fierce.
Analyzing this situation, MSc. Vuong Nguyen Toan Thien - Professional Director of Lumos Psychological Center pointed out:
The message the victim receives at this time may no longer be'You have been abused by someone else', but become'You must take responsibility for what happened to you'. This easily increases feelings of shame, guilt, helplessness, self-doubt and loss of trust in others.
Especially, in the context of social network explosion, the speed of judgment is dizzying on a large scale.
The victim not only struggled with horrific memories but also had to face thousands of harsh comments, baseless speculations and the disclosure of her private life.
The most serious consequence is the reflex of "being silent to protect yourself".
When speaking out means being scrutinized, ridiculed and attacked, victims will choose to grit their teeth and endure, not report, refuse to seek psychological support and withdraw from the process of demanding justice.
Publicly denounce so that "perverts" have to pay the price
The distorted and negative judgments of a part of the online community and the silence in fear of the victims are the "safe buffer zone", the fertile ground for perverts to continue to rampage and seek the next prey.
Being abused has never been the victim's fault, regardless of what clothes the victim wears or where she appears, in the evening or in the morning. The only guilty person and one who must be severely punished is the one who has committed acts of harassment and abuse.
Don't let public fear bind your own right to protection. The perpetrators only truly tremble when their depraved acts are exposed to the light of law and public opinion.
Be strong to step out of prejudice, raise your voice to denounce, seek help from psychologists and functional agencies to demand justice, punish bad guys appropriately and protect the safety of the whole community.
