People who have experienced abuse relate to their experiences in a variety of ways. They may identify with certain labels and reject others. It’s important to be led by the language individuals use themselves. For example, some adults prefer the term survivor, while others feel that it is not helpful or does not resonate with them.
Victim is often used in legal and medical contexts to refer to an individual who has experienced physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse. This can include those who have experienced domestic violence or those who have been victims of hate crimes, as well as people who have been victims of bullying or cyberbullying.
Research suggests that using the word victim can contribute to a common type of reaction known as ‘victim blaming’. Victim blaming involves questioning whether something the person has done could have prevented their abuse or whether they somehow invited it. It can also involve pointing out supposedly inherent weaknesses or differences that could have made someone a target for violence.
Using the label of victim can reinforce rape myths and negatively impact a person’s self-worth. For example, one participant in a study on sexual assault and the labels victim and survivor said that “victim sounds like they did something wrong to deserve it”.
It can be especially difficult for children who have been abused to believe that what has happened to them is not their fault. Labelling them as victims can have a negative effect on the way they see themselves and the types of support and mentorship they receive from professionals.
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