"But sometimes I think . . . they put themselves in the situation": exploring blame and responsibility in interpersonal violence.
This article draws on narratives of volunteers working with women who have experienced violence. It explores how institutional discourses nurture a culture of blame and responsibility. Using qualitative data, it examines the ways in which women victims are seen as complicit in their own victimization. An indirect consequence of the blame/responsibility dichotomy is that victims are depicted as deserving their fate. There is, therefore, a culture of resignation in which violence is normalized. It proposes that if institutional practices are embedded in a feminist tradition, they can provide a more sustainable framework for challenging sexual and domestic violence.
Thapar-Björkert
Suruchi
S
University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UQ, UK. s.thapar-bjorkert@bristol.ac.uk
Morgan
Karen J
KJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D018585:Battered Women; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D019513:Feminism; D006296:Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011287:Prejudice; D012016:Reference Values; D012944:Social Support; D006113:United Kingdom; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult