Stanford Rape Case: Why do we blame victims in cases of rape?

Sexual assault is one of very few crimes where a human being’s natural inclination to sympathise with another is reversed and victim-blaming occurs.

Victim-blaming happens when the victim of a crime has their experience invalidated by others and is held partially or wholly responsible for a crime committed against them, by the voluntary actions of another person.

Criminal defence lawyer Dara Robinson told the Irish Examiner that rape is one crime where it is “legitimate in law” to query the complainant’s actions.