Psychologist Shares Tips to Prevent Victim Blaming on Social Media

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Remember the case of the confinement of a woman named Yuvita in Bandung? Not a few people blamed Yuvita, suggesting she deserved to be a victim because she was willing to be held captive for three years. Clinical psychologist Gisella Tani Pratiwi, M.Psi, Psychologist, stressed the need to prioritise empathy when responding to any type of violence case, especially relationship violence that is widely discussed on social media, given that people do not know the actual conditions experienced by the victim. She shared several tips that can be implemented to prevent victim blaming, particularly on social media. “Good actions, such as commenting or anything else, should at the very least not worsen the victim’s condition. Think again when you want to type something, read it again before posting. Hopefully, this will reduce how we victim blame, especially on social media,” Gisella said when contacted on Wednesday (2/7/2026). Gisella explained that before responding or commenting on social media upon seeing a case of violence, especially relationship violence, one should re-read the typed sentence to ensure the content is appropriate. Then, try to imagine being in the victim’s position and consider whether the comment would truly be helpful. The public also needs to evaluate the personal feelings that arise when reading about a case, whether on social media or in news articles, to better understand the response they will give. “What do I feel connected to, for example, at the level of ‘oh, I once knew a friend who had a similar condition, or I myself have been in a similar condition’, so that we become more self-aware when doing something, including commenting, and can be more empathetic, providing something that does not add to the victim’s suffering,” she said. The Jakarta-based psychologist also highlighted that victim blaming is often found in society, even in very extreme cases where the victim has clearly suffered, both physically and psychologically. Victim blaming is triggered, among other things, by a failure to understand the dynamics experienced by the victim, especially by people who have never experienced a violent relationship. “They feel that ‘logically, if you are hurt, you should just leave’. But they do not understand that in the context of a violent relationship, there is psychological manipulation, a relationship that is monopolised or dominated by the perpetrator with various motives, be it economic, emotional, sexual, and so on. That is what is perhaps not understood, hence many still engage in victim blaming,” she said.