When asked why he assaulted the man at the bar, David commented that he shouldn't be in trouble because the man made him angry and he deserved what he got. Which type of neutralization is this an example of?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of "denial of the victim," where the person justifies their harmful actions by suggesting that the victim deserved whatever happened due to their behavior or actions. David's comment implies that the man's actions justified the assault, thus denying the victim's innocence or framing them as deserving of the harm.

When Asked Why He Assaulted the Man at the Bar