![]() ![]() While societal values are shifting, the narrative of the ‘perfect victim’ is still perpetuated to a dangerous extent, extending to our ability to identify who the victim really is. When we see proactive change everywhere from the national curriculum to a federal election, we are prioritising not just reactive measures, but demonstrating a commitment to stopping an assault before it’s even occurred. The rise of powerful voices like Grace Tame, Brittany Higgins and Chanel Contos highlights a societal willingness to engage in conversation, and to make change proactively. #MeToo created a tidal wave of reckoning, resulting in a sweeping movement to legislate affirmative consent in multiple jurisdictions, to introduce harsher penalties for image-based abuse and see an uptake in conversation around healthy relationships, sexual health, wellbeing and safety. Our cultural ability to perceive a victim as being authentic in their claim, particularly of sexual violence, is incredibly narrow.įive years after the #MeToo movement broke open these conversations, are we any closer to dismantling the need for a checklist of believability? She’s an ideal that sets every survivor up for failure, for judgement and to bear the burden of their own victimhood.Īt the crux of the perfect victim is unconscious bias, a dangerous and sustained belief of what a victim must look like in order for society to deem them worthy of credibility and subsequently, believability. ![]() She shares just enough with the public to be empathised with, but not too much, or she’s hysterical. There are always witnesses to corroborate her story. She’s never sent an intimate message and she’s unmarked in the eyes of the law. ![]() The ‘perfect victim’ in the criminal justice system is a virgin. ![]()
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