We Have a Victim-Blaming Problem (and things won’t change until that does)

When a pedestrian is killed or injured by a vehicle, too many of us immediately jump into the shoes of the driver. Try thinking of the pedestrian—it’ll change everything.

You likely heard of the horrific case of an 11-year-old child being murdered in Texas. Shot in the back while playing a silly game of “ding dong ditch”—that joke where one rings a doorbell and runs off.

En masse, less the most deplorable of Americans, people are outraged at this senseless violent killing.

Because we all imagine it’s our kid. Or our neighbours. Or even ourselves.

How could someone kill so callously? How come we don’t better protect our children?

But pedestrians don’t receive the same grace. Not even a little bit.

Take for example, this recent incident in North Vancouver, where a 16-year-old child was run down in broad daylight while crossing a marked crosswalk.

You’d think it would be a chance for the community to band together, right? To speak out about road violence, speeding and distracted driving.

To demand safer infrastructure for our kids!

Well, no. That didn’t really happen. Instead, here’s what I found on Facebook.

Here’s a post from one concerned citizen who admits she doesn’t know anything about what happened but is pretty sure the girl is to blame. Twenty-eight likes.

Or another, who also agrees pedestrians really should be more careful when crossing marked crosswalks—after all, drivers can’t be held responsible!

Or one more, who agrees wholeheartedly—after all, her biggest fear is that she has to live with killing someone. Really, she’d be the true victim in this case.

Or another one of Diane Materi’s fans, who pretty much thinks this child had it coming.

This isn’t new. This is the basic sentiment every time a pedestrian gets killed or injured.

(Yes, there were other comments in opposition to these… but the fact that 100% of the community hasn’t rallied is unacceptable. When I was a kid, one of my friends got run over trying to jaywalk to a Dairy Queen. The town immediately built a controlled crosswalk that is still in use today—some 35 years later. What happened to us?)

These Facebook comments are the modern-day equivalent of the “what was she wearing?” trope.

But imagine if, anytime you saw or heard about a pedestrian casualty, you thought:

Wow—that’s awful. I’d hate to have my life ended that way. Or my any of my loved ones. I should probably slow down and put away the phone. After all, road safety is MY—the driver’s—primary goal and responsibility.

But, inserted, we have to deal with people like the above… and the millions like them. All dead-set on blaming the victim.