Far too often, we see headlines, politicians, social figures, or news stories in the US contributing to harmful messages: people who commit sexual violence didn’t mean to, did it by accident, or deserve sympathy. Meanwhile, entire communities such as immigrants, trans people, Black people, or even survivors themselves are blamed as the reason sexual violence exists, which is statistically inaccurate. This is scapegoating. And it prevents real accountability.
Scapegoating Explained: How Blame Gets Misplaced
What is Scapegoating, and Why Does It Matter?
Scapegoating is the process of directing anger, frustration, and aggression onto others and targeting them as the source of problems and misfortunes, according to the American Psychological Association. Scapegoating allows individuals and even groups of people to avoid responsibility by placing blame and responsibility on the “other” and ultimately leaves the issue unaddressed.
A Long History of Blame Without Accountability
Scapegoating isn’t new. It has been a part of pop culture, political culture, and social culture for most of human history:
- Yoko Ono has been blamed for The Beatles’ breakup, instead of acknowledging the band’s decision to part ways.
- Gaëtan Dugas was misunderstood and then popularized as “Patient Zero” during the AIDs epidemic, which shifted attention away from systemic failures, addressing homophobia and stigma, and lack of government response
- Marie Antoinette was blamed as a key catalyst of the French Revolution, obscuring deeper economic inequality and political unrest.
- During the Salem Witch Trials, women were blamed, captured, and killed instead of addressing widespread economic fears and resource scarcity
How Scapegoating Fuels Discrimination and Violence
Scapegoating often creates a divide between those seen as “belonging” and those who are treated as outsiders. The people seen as belonging are more likely to be protected, believed, and supported. While those labeled as outsiders are more likely to be ignored, blamed, and harmed. Over time, this divide can shape cultural norms, like what we see in media, how stories are told, and which policies are prioritized. It can normalize discrimination, reduce empathy, and make violence against certain groups seem more acceptable or easier to ignore. At the same time, scapegoating allows people who cause harm, especially those with power, to avoid accountability.
Realities of Sexual Violence in the United States
Who Holds Power, and Why Does It Matter?
Sexual violence is rooted in power, control, and oppression. In individual situations, people who hold power, such as a boss, professor, older community member, wealthy community member, etc. may have more opportunity to misuse that power and cause harm. On a broader societal level, these patterns connect to how power is distributed and who is protected versus who may be more vulnerable. Currently, the people we see holding power in our society tend to be men, white people, wealthy people, straight people, and cis people.
Who Is Blamed, and Who Is Harmed?
Scapegoating creates a dangerous disconnect between perception and reality. Currently, we see people who are immigrants or trans as common targets of nationwide scapegoating for who perpetrates sexual violence. Historically, Black men, people who are houseless, and people who live in poverty have also been common scapegoats.
In reality, these communities actually experience some of the highest rates of sexual violence and receive less support and protection.
Transgender Communities
- People who are trans are over four times more likely than cisgender people to experience violent victimization, including rape, sexual assault, and aggravated or simple assault.
- Incarcerated transgender individuals are 10x as likely to be sexually assaulted by their fellow inmates, and 5x as likely to be sexually assaulted by staff.
- Around 1 in 2 people who are trans have been sexually assaulted
Immigrant Women
Black Women
People with Disabilities
These disparities reflect systemic inequities in protection, access to resources, and societal responses.
How Harmful Narratives Lead to Harmful Policies
When scapegoating shapes public perceptions, it can also shape policy. The same communities that experience higher rates of violence, who are often used as scapegoats for why sexual violence exists, are experiencing rollbacks of legal protections against violence. Recent reporting shows the scaling down of investigations into sexual assault and protections for certain groups in prison. Additional reporting shows that individuals experiencing sexual violence in detention facilities often have no recourse or action taken. Meanwhile, funding that supports anti-violence initiatives, including sexual violence, has been targeted for reductions or elimination.
Moving Forward: Truth, Accountability, and Prevention
Scapegoating has been used for generations to shift blame and avoid responsibility. In the context of sexual violence, this not only distorts the truth but also allows harm to continue.
Prevention starts with accountability. This means:
- Recognizing and challenging narratives that blame entire communities.
- Seeking out accurate, evidence-based information
- Supporting policies and systems that protect all survivors
- Ensuring responsibility stays with those who cause harm
By shifting the focus back to accountability, we can create space for real prevention, stronger support for survivors, and safer communities for everyone.
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