Rape is never the victims fault.

[KitSileya]

354. It horrifies me, especially since so many of the victims are underage

and cannot consent in any way shape or form. But we have had so many of these cases reported on DU - the 14-year old whose rape was her own fault because she "was so mature", and all the cases where the girl goes to a friend's house or to a party with people she thinks are her friends (which is exactly what you are supposed to do to avoid being raped according to conventional wisdom) and is plied with alcohol, raped, and then has the pictures spread all over the internet, with the resultant harassment.

So many of us see how these victims are treated and learn these lessons so very, very well. And that includes opportunist rapists as well as the victims. They don't think the way they talk about the victims don't influence a rapist's calculations of risk? A boyfriend, a boyfriend's friend, the creeper in your friend group, your colleague, anyone can be a rapist - most rapists aren't ones that jump out from behind a bush. 2/3 are known to the victim. That is why these PSAs are so important - it is so important to get people to understand that the picture they have of a typical rapist and a typical victim is completely wrong! And to make them understand that when they blame the victims, even a little, for example as in "well, I wouldn't have walked around at 3 a.m. with my wallet on display" they are making it easier for rapists to rape!