by N. D. Guerre

Created on: June 20, 2008

Are some victims of rape irresponsible? Of course they are. This does not make them responsible for their attack, however, and I believe I can PROVE it to you.

I worked as the project coordinator, for several years, in charge of a program serving survivors of sexual assault. I was also involved in public and professional education and training, served on my state's sexual assault coalition as a board member and spoke publicly in almost any venue you can come up with on offenders, victims, investigations, response, prevention and any issue connected with sexual assault and violence. I was immersed in this subject for several years and directly involved in over 300 actual cases. I was aware of many, many more.

I also survived gang rape at 15.

Of course some victims of sexual violence are irresponsible. So are victims of theft, of floods and of murder. Does that mean they "asked for it"? Does that mean they caused it? Does that mean that if not for their own behavior it would not have happened? I will let you decide that for yourself and only share with you my experience. I only ask that you do give the question serious thought and look at it from another perspective for a moment.

Let's take the case of a thief, one who happens to have an unusual fetish for diamonds. And the jeweler, who is about to become his victim. Let's say that most retailers of diamonds are known to empty their window of merchandise at the end of the day (a sort of modesty, wouldn't you say?).... to put it in a safe somewhere out of the public view once they are closed. This merchant, however, does not and his window is well lit, with diamonds of every manner and kind on display, and enticingly so.

Our diamond lover comes upon this window, sees these beautiful gems and cannot help himself, loses control and smashes the window, reaches in, helps himself and takes off.

Should the police still investigate? Is the thief a thief or just a poor slob tempted by the irresponsible store owner? Should the owner receive any kind of assistance? Bear criticism for not following the common practice of locking up his gems? How would you feel about this retailer? Is he now also responsible for his own loss?

Let's say that he leaves his merchandise in the window but no diamond lover comes down his street, no one who is particularly interested in what he has to offer comes along. Will he now be robbed by otherwise honest people who usually don't steal but who are now tempted just because they are there, just because

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