"Rape prevention based on findings about victim’s traits and behaviors may implicitly suggest that those who are most at risk for rape—that is, women—should alter and restrict their behavior to avoid being raped. For example, information suggesting that attending parties is risky might be interpreted to mean that women should avoid parties in order to avoid being raped, rather than potential perpetrators and limits women’s freedom. This approach puts the burden of preventing rape on potential victims rather than potential perpetrators and limits women’s freedom. Furthermore, focusing rape prevention on victims may be viewed as blaming the victim. Individuals who engage in risky behaviors and are raped might be blamed—by others and by themselves—for contributing to their own victimization." (252, The Social Psychology of Good & Evil)

This video is an example of how focusing rape prevention on the victims of rape can lead to blaming the victims, rather than the perpetrators themselves. Bill O'Reilly, by saying that "every predator in the world would pick that up at 2:00 in the morning" because she was drunk and her midriff was exposed" implies that the victim--Jennifer Moore--deserved to be raped.

Tucker Carlson and Keith Olberman both slam Bill O'Reilly for blaming the victim instead perpetrator. By rationalizing the rape and murder of an innocent woman, O'Reilly is making the perpetrator's actions more sympathetic and reasonable. To this, Olberman bluntly comments, "O'Reilly is sick".

In my opinion, Bill O'Reilly made two disasterous mistakes: 1) he sounded sexist and cold by characterizing Jennifer Moore as somehow "deserving" what happened to her, and 2) he used a terrible example to make his point (It is really hard to convince any humane person so think that someone ought to be raped and murdered for the way they dress). That being said, I understand a facet of the point that Bill O'Reilly was trying to make: that responsibility for preventing rape should involve both the potential victims and the potential perpetrators. This is not to suggest that women should be forced to oblige to "decency standards" and observe curfews like they do in some patriarchal societies; but rather people should be aware and prevent "incentivising" rapists.

To make my point less abstract, lets use a real life example:

When going to a park, playground, or other public area; most of us as children (regardless of gender) were probably told by our parents some combination of the following:

• Don't talk to strangers (and if you must, don't tell them your name)
• Don't go anywhere with strangers, even if they seem nice or trustworthy
• Don't go places alone (in other words, stay with friends or siblings)

Unless you are part of a famous or wealthy family that could be targeted for ransom, the most logical reason why your parents told you those things was to prevent you from being raped, kidnapped, molested, or killed (or quite possibly all of the above). Obviously, there is absolutely no way that a child could possibly consent to sex with an adult, and therefore there is also no possible way a child could be "blamed" for inviting sexual abuse. Nonetheless, the reason why parents tell children these kind of lessons is to prevent them from getting into a situation that might become a victim. The parents are just being realists, and they realize that a child who is alone and trusting of strangers might be targeted and preyed upon. If a child does not heed this advice and falls prey to a child molester, does this make the child molester's actions okay? No, or course not.

Adult women and men (both, it is important to remember, can and are raped) should take preventive steps to avoid rape. If a college student gets drunk, is revealingly dressed, alone, and in a dangerous neighborhood -- they are putting themselves at an increased risk...that is the sad and simple truth of the world we live in.

Ultimately, while it is important to never blame a victim of rape or sexual violence; it is also important for potential victims to work to prevent those atrocious actions from occurring in the first place.