A follow up on enabling bullies

I was writing this morning about how victims of bullying enable bullies. The opening of The Lord of the Flies gives us a classic example in Ralph:

"My auntie told me not to run," he explained, "on account of my asthma."

"Ass-mar?"

"That's right. Can't catch my breath. I was the only boy in our school what had asthma," said the fat boy with a touch of pride. "And I've been wearing specs since I was three."

 That's a good idea, tell everyone what your weaknesses are. "With a touch of pride". You meet women who are like that; they tell all about their ailments and their failed romances and then wind up with how their last boyfriend used them. And then they wonder why they get used.

But this is even better:

"I don't care what they call me," he said confidentially, "so long as they don't call me what they used to call me at school."

Ralph was faintly interested.

"What was that?"

The fat boy glanced over his shoulder, then leaned toward Ralph.

He whispered.

"They used to call me `Piggy.'"

Ralph shrieked with laughter. He jumped up.

"Piggy! Piggy!"

Blame the victim? In this case yes.

If you get bullied once, it's the bully's fault. If you end up getting bullied everywhere you go, it's your fault.