Shayna Stoymenoff
1000762463
Professor Jooyoung Lee
SOC393
Notions That Challenge The “Blame The Victim” Accounts of Serial Homicide
When it comes to risk factors associated with sexual violence and serial homicide, people often times “blame the victim” for serial murder or other types of sexual violence that occurs. However, there are many other risk factors associated with making a victim vulnerable to sexual assault or violence. According to Harber et al (2015), “victim blaming” is a concept that suggests that women in some way deserve to be sexually assaulted because they dress or behave in a manner that is considered sexually inviting. This paper will discuss the ways in which social inequalities produced by the province and policy makers …show more content…
Furthermore, lacking transportation and social youth activities in remote areas also leads to women in these areas being vulnerable to specific types of sexual violence through force of hitchhiking. This is to say it is not enough to simply “blame the victim” for their vulnerability to serial homicide, rather it is social inequalities that exist among their communities that are to blame.
The cycle of violence that young women face begins in their communities. That is, being part of an impoverished community is a major risk factor associated with young women’s vulnerability to different types of sexual violence and serial homicide. In particular, one of the main reasons for the poverty that exists among young women is due to lack of employment opportunities and affordable housing, which in turn encourages women to become vulnerable to sexual exploitation to meet their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter (Sethi, 2007, p.62). This lack of employment opportunity and housing does not only make them vulnerable to sexual exploitation for survival purposes, but thus also …show more content…
the blaming the victim explanation), this is not always true. There are various other risk factors at play when it comes to what makes women vulnerable to serial homicide. As discussed in the paper, lack of affordable housing and lack of employment is a huge risk factor that makes women vulnerable to different types of sexual violence and serial homicide. For instance, it can be said that Cheyenne Fox’s case who became homeless due to unaffordable housing in the suburbs of Toronto lead her to engage in sexual exploitation and prostitution (Serbisias, 2014). As a result, Fox became of a vulnerable victim of serial homicide and sexual violence due to lack of affordable housing. Furthermore, women such as Alberta Williams and Dalphine Nakil become more vulnerable victims due to lack of social and recreational opportunities and activities for youth in remote areas, as they have to travel far distances via hitchhiking. Finally, this ties into the idea that by not providing enough affordable forms of public transportation in remote areas also makes women more vulnerable to different types of sexual violence and homicide. All of these risk factors therefore challenge accounts that ‘blame the victims’ of serial murder and other types of sexual violence. This is because as evidence suggests, the root of the problem is not in the individuals, but rather in social and
1000762463
Professor Jooyoung Lee
SOC393
Notions That Challenge The “Blame The Victim” Accounts of Serial Homicide
When it comes to risk factors associated with sexual violence and serial homicide, people often times “blame the victim” for serial murder or other types of sexual violence that occurs. However, there are many other risk factors associated with making a victim vulnerable to sexual assault or violence. According to Harber et al (2015), “victim blaming” is a concept that suggests that women in some way deserve to be sexually assaulted because they dress or behave in a manner that is considered sexually inviting. This paper will discuss the ways in which social inequalities produced by the province and policy makers …show more content…
Furthermore, lacking transportation and social youth activities in remote areas also leads to women in these areas being vulnerable to specific types of sexual violence through force of hitchhiking. This is to say it is not enough to simply “blame the victim” for their vulnerability to serial homicide, rather it is social inequalities that exist among their communities that are to blame.
The cycle of violence that young women face begins in their communities. That is, being part of an impoverished community is a major risk factor associated with young women’s vulnerability to different types of sexual violence and serial homicide. In particular, one of the main reasons for the poverty that exists among young women is due to lack of employment opportunities and affordable housing, which in turn encourages women to become vulnerable to sexual exploitation to meet their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter (Sethi, 2007, p.62). This lack of employment opportunity and housing does not only make them vulnerable to sexual exploitation for survival purposes, but thus also …show more content…
the blaming the victim explanation), this is not always true. There are various other risk factors at play when it comes to what makes women vulnerable to serial homicide. As discussed in the paper, lack of affordable housing and lack of employment is a huge risk factor that makes women vulnerable to different types of sexual violence and serial homicide. For instance, it can be said that Cheyenne Fox’s case who became homeless due to unaffordable housing in the suburbs of Toronto lead her to engage in sexual exploitation and prostitution (Serbisias, 2014). As a result, Fox became of a vulnerable victim of serial homicide and sexual violence due to lack of affordable housing. Furthermore, women such as Alberta Williams and Dalphine Nakil become more vulnerable victims due to lack of social and recreational opportunities and activities for youth in remote areas, as they have to travel far distances via hitchhiking. Finally, this ties into the idea that by not providing enough affordable forms of public transportation in remote areas also makes women more vulnerable to different types of sexual violence and homicide. All of these risk factors therefore challenge accounts that ‘blame the victims’ of serial murder and other types of sexual violence. This is because as evidence suggests, the root of the problem is not in the individuals, but rather in social and