Do you lock your doors before you leave your house?  Do you have uninsured motorist coverage on your car?  Do you have passwords for your bank accounts? Do you avoid walking in sketchy areas alone at night? Do you hide your bags when you go into the gym?

I’m hoping the answer to all of the questions above is “yes.”  If it isn’t, you’re DEFINITELY not going to agree with the next thing I say.

People should do everything in their power to protect themselves before they want to scream and cry that they’ve been wronged.  No one is perfect.  We all have faults, but it is the rare case that something that happens is ENTIRELY another person’s fault.

If your house gets robbed, your car gets stolen, your money is taken and you have done nothing to prevent it happening, it actually IS somewhat your fault.

You don’t blame the sun for burning you when you don’t put on sunscreen.  You have to prevent bad things from happening.

If you are roughed up by a police officer because you were being defiant, is it entirely your fault?  Of course not.  Is it PARTIALLY your fault, however?  Of COURSE it is.  You could have done something to prevent it from happening, you should have.  It’s not about politics or agenda, it’s about self preservation.  If you’re making yourself into a victim, that’s ridiculous.

If you are a drunk, scantily clad coed hanging all over a drunk boy at a college party and he assaults you, is it entirely your fault?  Of course not.  Is it PARTIALLY your fault, however?  Of COURSE it is.  You could have done more to prevent it from occurring.  You shouldn’t have put yourself in a situation where you were lacking power and common sense.

And the least popular example, the bullied child.  Look, I’ve been a teacher for a long time… and there truly are some students who help to make themselves the target.  They are loud, obnoxious, draw attention to every single difference they have.  They pester and annoy.  And kids less in control of their own emotions and temper get fed up and let them have it.  Is it entirely the fault of the target?  Don’t be ridiculous!   No one should be bullied or hurt for being different.  But, are there some things that they could have done to prevent it?  Sometimes, yes.

Let’s be honest.

Of course there are times you will do everything right and your house will still be burgled, your car will still be hit, your bank account will still be hacked…

But there are also times you can work to prevent those things… and there are times that you can be less of a victim.