In the night of Hangzhou, the lights in a residential area were unusually dim.
On that peaceful night, Mrs. Wang encountered a nightmare-like experience.
That evening, a blurry figure stealthily crept into her bedroom, and due to the effects of alcohol, she mistook this stranger for her own husband.
It wasn’t until half an hour later, when the haze of drunkenness slightly dissipated, that Mrs. Wang realized with horror that lying beside her was not her familiar husband, but a nefarious stranger.
This thief named Li originally intended to quietly steal something under the cover of night, but under the catalysis of alcohol, seeing Mrs. Wang inebriated, he conceived wicked intentions.
This incident spread like wildfire in the streets and alleys. However, chillingly, not everyone sympathized with Mrs. Wang’s ordeal.
Instead, some voices questioned her, asking why she was drinking, and some even felt that as the victim, she bore responsibility.
This secondary harm to the victim is truly unacceptable.
It reminds me of that girl from Nanchang, Jiangxi, who also endured a similar nightmare.
A man pretending to be a delivery person intruded into her life, bringing her unspeakable pain and torment.
These incidents all reveal society’s biases and misunderstandings towards victims of sexual assault.
I want to say, sexual assault is never the victim’s fault.
It is the crime committed by the perpetrators, the demons in their hearts. Blaming the victim is not only unfair but also a moral decline.
The existence of this “victim-blaming” is undoubtedly a secondary harm to sexual assault victims. It not only harms the victims themselves but also insults social justice and humanity.
We should understand that every victim deserves our sympathy and support, not blame and scrutiny.
In these incidents, we shouldn’t scrutinize the victim’s actions but rather provide them with more love and assistance.
Whether it’s medical aid, psychological counseling, or legal support, we should have a comprehensive mechanism to help these victims emerge from the shadows and stand up again.
More importantly, we need to establish a culture across society that supports victims.
Let victims know that they are not alone, that they have the right to demand justice and dignity.
Instead of subjecting them to society’s biases and accusations after being harmed.
For perpetrators like Li, the swift response and decisive action of the police are commendable.
They show us through action that the law is just, it will protect every innocent victim and punish those who dare to challenge the legal bottom line.
However, legal sanctions are only the first step. We need more efforts to ensure that every victim receives genuine help and support.
We need to establish a comprehensive support system to provide victims with one-stop services, help them understand the truth, uphold their rights, break the silence, and seek justice.
At the same time, we should also promote the establishment of safer and more convenient reporting mechanisms globally, so that victims can receive support and protection in a timely manner.
This is the responsibility and duty of every member of society, as well as our commitment and pursuit of justice and humanity.
In conclusion, sexual assault is always the responsibility of the perpetrators, not the fault of the victims.
We should ensure that this notion is deeply ingrained in people’s minds through education, law, and social support.
Only in this way can we truly eliminate biases and misunderstandings towards victims and make our society more just and inclusive, allowing every victim to receive the respect and restoration they deserve after experiencing misfortune.