Victims

What is a victim according to the UN?

someone who has suffered physical, emotional or mental harm, economic loss or violations of their rights as a result of acts that break the law

What is victimology?

the study of victims and victimisation

What are the two main approaches to victimology?

positivist victimology and critical victimology

What is positivist victimology?

an approach that identifies patterns of victimisation, focuses on interpersonal crimes of violence and examines victim contribution to victimisation (Miers)

What did Hentig argue about victimisation?

certain groups, such as women and the elderly, are more likely to become victims, while factors such as displaying wealth or low social status can increase victimisation risk (Hentig)

What is victim precipitation?

the idea that victims may trigger or contribute to the crime against them; Wolfgang found victim precipitation in 26% of homicide cases (Wolfgang)

What are the strengths and criticisms of positivist victimology?

it identifies patterns of victimisation and helps develop crime prevention policies, but it can lead to victim blaming and ignores wider structures of power

What is critical victimology?

an approach that focuses on how power and inequality shape victimisation and victim status, arguing that victimhood is socially constructed

What structural factors do critical victimologists focus on?

patriarchy, poverty and racism

What is de labelling?

the process by which powerful institutions deny, hide or downplay victimhood

What is the hierarchy of victimisation?

the most powerless groups are most likely to be victimised and least likely to be recognised as victims

How do Tombs & Whyte support critical victimology?

they argue workplace injuries are often labelled as accidents, preventing victims from being recognised (Tombs & Whyte)

How do the Hillsborough disaster and Grenfell Tower fire support critical victimology?

they show how power, class and authority can affect whether victims receive recognition and justice

What is the ideal victim?

a victim who is viewed as innocent, vulnerable and deserving of sympathy, making them more likely to receive recognition (Christie)

How do Marxists explain victimisation?

the poor and powerless are more likely to be victimised by the actions of powerful groups

What are the strengths and criticisms of critical victimology?

it highlights the role of power, inequality and the state in shaping victimisation, but may overemphasise structural factors and underestimate individual choice

What does the Crime Survey of England and Wales show about social class and victimisation?

poorer groups, low income households and people living in deprived areas face a greater risk of victimisation

How does age affect victimisation?

young people are more likely to be victims of crime, while the elderly are more vulnerable to neglect and abuse; infants under one have the highest risk of murder

How does gender affect victimisation?

men are more likely to experience violent crime, while women are more likely to experience domestic violence and sexual assault; around 90% of rape victims are women

How does ethnicity affect victimisation?

ethnic minority groups are more likely to experience racially motivated crime and harassment

What is repeat victimisation?

when the same individual experiences multiple incidents of crime; it is more common among the poor, homeless people and female victims of domestic violence

What are the effects of victimisation?

physical injury, trauma, anxiety, PTSD, sleep problems, fear of crime and reduced quality of life

Who are indirect victims?

family members, friends and communities affected by crime even if they were not directly targeted

What is secondary victimisation?

additional trauma caused by insensitive treatment from police, courts or the media

What do feminists mean by double violation?

victims of rape may suffer both the assault itself and poor treatment by the criminal justice system