Is it right to blame rape victims?

The age-old debate has been sparked again by the alleged gang rape of a 23-year-old American woman studying at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

Some people have suggested that the woman invited the crime with her 'loose' behaviour (read: staying out late at night and drinking with a group of men who were supposedly friends of a friend). Questions have also been raised about why she did not lodge a complaint immediately on leaving the house where she claims the crime took place, and why she agreed to take an emergency contraceptive pill afterwards.

In spite of it being established by law that a woman's right to say 'no' is absolute and her behaviour cannot be seen as a provocation to rape, people continue to use a number of excuses to blame the victim. Others say it is naive, or downright stupid, to trust men. What is your view on this?