Campaigns

RASA (Rape and Sexual Assault Centre) Merseyside has launched a new campaign which aims to address victim blaming culture by calling out perpetrator behaviour and reframing victim blaming attitudes. The ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’ campaign aims to place the blame back where it belongs, with the perpetrator.

Lorraine Woods, Operations Manager at RASA Merseyside explained the purpose of the campaign: “Within the context of sexual assault, victim blaming is the term used to describe an attitude that suggests it is the victim rather than the perpetrator who bears responsibility. What is important to understand is that sexual violence is never, ever the fault of the person who experiences it. Sexual violence happens because someone chooses to use harmful behaviours, not because someone is wearing a certain item of clothing, said a certain thing, or was in a certain place.

“This campaign aims include shifting focus onto perpetrator behaviour, encourage perpetrator accountability and facilitate a change in perceptions in the wider community. This is a problem in our society that doesn’t discriminate, and the hope is to bring awareness so that anyone subjected to sexual violence can get the help and support they need instead of being blamed for something that they didn’t cause.”