Blaming the victims of misfortune for causing their own problems or for not taking steps to prevent or avoid them reflects a belief called the just-world hypothesis.

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The just-world hypothesis is the belief that people get what they deserve and that the world is fundamentally fair. Blaming victims for their misfortunes is a common manifestation of this belief, as it allows people to maintain the illusion that the world is just and that they themselves are safe and secure. However, this belief is often not based in reality, as there are many factors that can contribute to misfortune, including systemic inequalities, random events, and natural disasters, over which individuals may have little or no control.

Blaming the Victims of Misfortune for Causing Their Own Problems