Victim Discounting

Blaming the Victim

One form of victim discounting tends to “place the burden on” or “blame” the victim. In this sense, it is a form of secondary victimization in which interactions between victims and medical, legal, and social services cause further harm because of the treatment such victims receive from persons in these institutions. Discounting may occur because the magnitude of the incident, as well as its negative outcomes, are poorly understood by medical, legal, and social service staff. Such lack of understanding may be accompanied by lack of empathy among service staff. This may lead to a stigmatization of the victims; their psychological trauma is marginalized; and they are ridiculed for experiencing symptoms. Indeed, some responders may view symptoms exhibited by victims as a result of predisposing factors such as so-called attention-seeking behaviors.

Denial of services and assistance as a result of preconceived notions about victims may occur. Necessary services are sometimes deemed unwarranted, or victims may be viewed by responders as undeserving of such services. Denial of services also includes a lack of security systems for employees as required by law. After an incident of workplace violence, victims' pleas for increased security or attempts at legal and financial retribution may be denied. Such denial discounts the importance of the incident and sends a message that the victim's pain is unimportant to the criminal justice system or to the employer. In cases of homicide and other extremely traumatic events, courts usually provide security or separate areas that isolate the victims and their families from perpetrators. Courts that do not offer these protections discount the traumatic nature of victimization, placing the burden on the victim to navigate a criminal justice system that is insensitive to victims' needs, threatening, and conducive to secondary victimization.

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