Blaming the Victim: A significant minority feel that Jews are to blame for the prejudice they face

Redirecting blame for prejudice onto the victims is frequently heard in the justification for discriminatory acts. It is sometimes expressed via dangerous generalizations about the group with which victims are identified. The rational provided for such behavior may serve as a means to avoid accountability for one’s own prejudice. Religious, ethnic and other minorities are often the targets for what is sometimes referred to as victim-blaming, which represents another layer is society’s complex fight against racism and anti-Semitism. The Association for Canadian Studies commissioned the firm Leger Marketing to ask Canadians whether they think Jews are often to blame for any acts of prejudice they face. It found that over one in four Canadians agree that Jews are often to blame with the view being held more widely in Quebec. The same question was put to Americans and it revealed a lower percentage (17%) agreed with the statement. The findings are based on surveys conducted via web panel by the firm Leger for the Association for Canadian Studies between August 29 and 31, 2025 with 1627 Canadians. The findings for the US survey also conducted via web panel by the firm Leger for the Association for Canadian Studies between August 29 and 31, 2025 with 1014 Americans.