Blaming the victim

Society also leans toward victim-blaming. Phrases like, “She was asking for it,” or, “What was she wearing?” invalidates women and other people who have experienced rape or sexual harassment.

Many people do not take rape claims seriously, or worse, they think that rape is just something that is inevitable; it’s bound to happen to everyone eventually. This sort of attitude validates the rapist in any given situation.

Another thing that validates the rapist’s actions is the legal language associated with this crime. Many cases cite “Sexual misconduct” or “Inappropriate behavior” as the event that happened between two people.