Blame the victim

Ever notice how people - usually those who attacked the victim in the first place, BLAME the victim? It's a common response designed to somehow convince people that the victim deserved what was coming to them.

The accuser will try to find anything and everything they can to somehow justify the fact that the victim has no claim or is not justified in protesting what was done to her.

So they end up being doubly victimized. It's like going into a convenience store to get something on your way home late from work one night and getting shot when some punk robs the store when you just happen to be there. How would you feel if people and the media said,"Well you shouldn't have been in the store that late at night. What were you wearing? If you hadn't had a suit and tie on the robber wouldn't have felt threatened. He had to shoot you. It's your fault!" Now. How would you feel? Incredulous right?

Well - rather than simply admit this incident happened, fire the appropriate people and apologize - Media General and their staff of paid attorneys will do the same. Well, if you're so offended by sexual harassment, why did you keep working there? Something brilliant. Something to trash me - or try to. Sigh. It's how corporations work.

Okay - next thought. Have you ever complained about your high utility bill? Ever complained about anything more than once? Why? Because nothing was done the first time you complained...or the second right? What if you complain about the utility bills or the price of gas in one state, then move and wow! It's worse in another state? Are you allowed to complain again? Or are you being a whiner and malcontent? No. You see a problem and keep complaining or protesting or doing whatever you need to do in order to stop what's happening to you. I see bullies and I keep fighting back.

That's the thing with being bully fodder. No matter where you go the things that make you a target for bullies remain. If you're good at what you do, bullies - by their very nature, will pick. So - what do you do? You move or quit and go somewhere else - or you object. You fight back. You protest. I've found bullies exist most everywhere. So have the experts. But rather than quit and slink off to another job I take a stand. And - as with most bullying targets - the bullies win in the end because they are so vicious and unprincipled. But I get great satisfaction out of not being a doormat and out of giving them pause. Bullies aren't used to having people fight back.

But I grew up in the inner city of Memphis, TN. I had seen three people stabbed to death by the time I was 10. I ran away from gangs who tried to beat me up and learned early to fight back to survive. By the time I was 10 there were only one or two people who would mess with me. Others had tried but learned it just wasn't worth the effort. They might technically "win" and beat me up - but it cost them dearly because I did not just stand there and take it. Media General may decide to trash me - attack me...and discredit and try to humiliate me more than they already have, but I'm not going to stand still and take it. That's why I have this blog.