I love how careful you are with wording. I am for one all for victim blaiming if victim doing everything in their power to get in trouble. You mess with a dog - you dont get to blame it when it bites. Even if the dog is complete piece of shit. They are both at fault here but for different things. He - for his actions. She - for arrogance and stupidity that invited and ensured his actions (my favorite combination).
Agreed, this is one of those areas where we make the mistake of conflating fault with responsibility. I have the habit of looking around at an intersection for a quick second before hitting the gas when the light turns green. If someone chooses to disobey the law and runs a red, and I collide with them, it's not my "moral fault" per se, but it is my responsibility to look out for my own safety in an non-ideal world.
While victim-blaming can genuinely be problematic, I've always held the belief that the conception of victim blaming itself is, in many instances (but not all), a form of privilege/luxury that people in less-fortunate parts of the world simply cannot afford. There is no concept of victim-blaming in those places, because their environment is so unforgiving and merciless, that not taking steps to ensure your safety is only seen as stupidity.
