Imagine a world where robberies could be justified. When a man claims to have been robbed, he is asked a series of questions to justify the legitimacy of the alleged crime. Even though the robbed man names the thief and has evidence against him, the man who was robbed is never fully believed. “You often give to charity, you probably wanted to get robbed,” he is told. Therefore, the man robbed is held responsible for the fact that he was robbed, and the cycle continues with the next victim saying he was robbed. Back to reality and this all seems pretty absurd. But what if I told you that these types of situations happen often and without thinking twice? This is how many people treat rape victims. However, we should stop blaming rape victims, because blaming reduces reporting of rape, objectifies women, and diverts attention from the real problem behind rape. First, victim blaming makes it difficult for raped people to report the crime. Did you know that only 32 out of 100 rapes will be reported (“Why Only”)? For example, when we normalize phrases like “she was asking for it,” someone who has been raped may have difficulty viewing nonconsensual sex as a crime, simply because she has been conditioned by society to think she was “asking for it.” .” After all, when we blame the woman for being raped, we are often implying that the default purpose for women is to obey and gratify men, and if she doesn't want to be used the way women are "supposed" to be. used, she must hide and do everything in her power to combat the rape. This idea is extremely objectifying and tells women that no matter what they say, they still have little to no power over themselves