# Where's the line between advising someone to take steps to protect themselves and victim-blaming?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-line-between-advising-someone-to-take-steps-to-protect-themselves-and-victim-blaming/844322>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [December 3, 2019, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-line-between-advising-someone-to-take-steps-to-protect-themselves-and-victim-blaming/844322 "2019-12-03T19:55:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 583

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**Author:** ![margin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@margin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/margin)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2019, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-the-line-between-advising-someone-to-take-steps-to-protect-themselves-and-victim-blaming/844322/583 "2019-12-16T19:22:23Z")

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> [@puddleglum](#):
>
> In this analogy is it okay to tell kids not to get into cars with strangers, or is that victim blaming?

You’re comparing children with adult women? Gee, nothing insulting _there_! Silly women, getting in strangers’ cars.

The advice being offered here reminds me of when the Italian Supreme Court decided that the fact that a rape victim had worn tight jeans meant no rape had occurred, as she must have “helped” get the jeans off. Italy, home of the Mafia, apparently contains no guns, knives, fists, or scissors within its borders, or groups of men.

That decision was made by several people. It went through layers and layers of the judiciary. Everyone found it acceptable.

So, yes, let’s assume women are children, that’s not incredibly, almost viciously insulting at ALL.

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