School of Law

Hamdard Institute of Legal Studies and Research

Jamia Hamdard University

CRIMINOLOGY

BA.LLB(HONS.)/SEM 8
SESSION- 2020-2025

TOPIC :- IMPACT OF VICTIMISATION

SUBMITTED TO –VARSHA MAM

SUBMITTED BY – SAMI SAHIL
ENROLLMENT NO.- 2020-342-090
 ABSTRACT

Victimization leaves Grave impacts on the Victim’s Physical health,

Mental health as well as financial state. It leaves an impact on an
individual’s ability to perform across a variety of roles, including those
related to parenting, intimate relationships, and occupational and social
functioning. It emphasizes the profound effects of victimization on
physical health, mental well-being, and financial stability, not only for the
primary victim but also for their family, relatives, friends, and society at
large. Additionally, it highlights the various challenges victims face, such
as post-traumatic stress, anxiety attacks, self-harming behavior, and
uncontrollable anger issues. Overall, victimization can have far-reaching
consequences across different aspects of an individual's life and can
significantly impair their ability to function in various roles and
relationships.
  INTRODUCTION

“Victim” has been defined under ICC (International Criminal Court) statute as
‘natural persons who have suffered harm as a result of the commission of any
crime within the jurisdiction of the ICC. It includes “legal entities that have
sustained direct harm to any of their property, which is dedicated to religion,
education, art or science or charitable purposes, and to their historic
monuments, hospitals and other places and objects for humanitarian purposes.
The principles and procedures used to protect the interests of victims have also
varied depending upon the side to which the pendulum swings. Sometimes the
emphasis is on punishing the criminal and rendering justice to the society
which is wronged by the criminal, and sometimes the emphasis is on
reparation to the Victim. Victims of crime are dealt with differently through
ages. At times they have received attention, and at times they are neglected.

 CLASSIFICATION OF VICTIMIZATION

There are various classes of Victimization.

(A)Primary Victimization

Primary Victimization is personal Victimization. In this, an actual person or

group of people become first-hand victims of a crime. This can be done
because of a personal vendetta against a single person or a specific group of
people, such as someone getting revenge for significant other cheating with a
person.8 Certain crimes involve physical effects, which are prone to include
some level of torment and enduring, and may involve loss of ability, some level
of inadequacy and or conceivable temporary deformation.

(B) Secondary Victimization

Secondary Victimization is also known as post-crime Victimization. It refers to

the Victimization that takes place indirectly from a criminal act. It relates to
further Victimization following on from the original Victimization. Victims may
also experience secondary Victimization by the justice system by getting
neglected by the court officials in informing them about the progress of the
case and updates.

(C) Re-victimization

Repeat victimization takes place when the Victim experiences the same crime
by the same offender. This normally results when the victims reside in the
home or locality where the potential group of offenders lives. The repeated
Victimization against them causes a lot of mental agony to the victims.

 IMPACTS OF VICTIMIZATION

 The physical impacts of Victimization

At the time of a crime, or upon discovering that a crime has occurred, victims
are likely to experience a number of physical reactions to the event. These may
include an increase in the adrenalin in the body, increased heart rate,
hyperventilation, shaking, tears, numbness, a feeling of being frozen or
experiencing events in slow motion, dryness of the mouth, enhancement of
particular senses, such as smell, and a “fight or flight” response. The physical
impacts of Victimization At the time of a crime, or upon discovering that a
crime has occurred, victims are likely to experience a number of physical
reactions to the event. These may include an increase in the adrenalin in the
body, increased heart rate, hyperventilation, shaking, tears, numbness, a
feeling of being frozen or experiencing events in slow motion, dryness of the
mouth, enhancement of particular senses, such as smell, and a “fight or flight”
response.

 The financial impacts of Victimization

In the long term, crime can adversely impact the Victim’s employment. The
Victim may find it impossible to return to work, or their work performance may
be adversely affected, resulting in demotion, loss of pay and possibly dismissal.
This is particularly likely where the crime occurred at work, as it may be
difficult for the Victim to avoid people or situations that led to the initial
Victimization.14 The marital and other relationships of crime victims are also
likely to be affected, and this may have a significant effect on the family’s
financial position. Research shows that the shock waves from victimization
touch not only the Victim but also the Victim’s immediate family and relatives,
neighbours and acquaintances. This holds true for the emotional as well as the
financial consequences, and the effects can endure for years or even a lifetime.
In the case of genocide, child abuse, exposure to violence and abuse of power,
the effects can be passed on from one generation to the next.
 Psychological impacts of Victimization
Crime is usually experienced as more serious than an accident or similar
misfortune. It is difficult to come to terms with the fact that loss and injury
have been caused by the deliberate act of another human being. At the same
time, it is evident from research and experience that it is impossible to predict
how an individual will respond to a particular crime.

 STAGES OF REACTION TO CRIME

One way of conceptualizing common reactions to the crime is as a process with
four stages. The initial reaction may include shock, fear, anger, helplessness,
disbelief and guilt. Such reactions are well documented in the immediate
aftermath of a crime. Some of these reactions may recur at a later stage as
well, for example, when attending a trial or going to the hospital for medical
treatment. Anger is a reaction that some victims and helpers find difficult to
deal with. It may be directed at other victims, helpers, bystanders,
organizations and also at oneself. Among some groups and in some cultures,
there may be a feeling that it is wrong to express anger even when it is strongly
felt. There may be pressure on victims to control their emotions These initial
reactions may be followed by a period of disorganization, which may manifest
itself in psychological effects such as distressing thoughts about the event,
nightmares, depression, guilt, fear and a loss of confidence and esteem. Life
can seem to slow down and lose its meaning. Previously held beliefs and faiths
may no longer provide comfort. Behavioural responses might include increased
alcohol or substance abuse, fragmentation of social relationships, avoidance of
people and situations associated with the crime and social withdrawal.

 THE PERIOD OF RECONSTRUCTION

For many people, there then follows a period of reconstruction and
acceptance, which leads to normalization or adjustment. The early stages of
coming to terms with a crime are often characterized by retrospective thinking,
where victims long for everything to be as it was before and to turn the clock
back. This crucial stage in recovery involves victims’ accepting fully the reality
of what has happened. The cognitive restructuring may be required, in which
victims reinterpret their experience to ameliorate the effects of the crime and
possibly find an explanation for what has happened or evaluate the event as
leading to personal growth. The boundaries between these different stages are
never as clear-cut as suggested here, and the divisions are intended as an aid
to understanding the process rather than categorical descriptions. Equally,
victims may not progress smoothly through the stages but may oscillate at
times between them.

 CONCLUSION
 Victimization leaves Grave impacts on the Victim’s Physical health, Mental
health as well as financial state. The Impacts of Victimization are not limited to
the Victim. The family members, close relatives, friends, society members are
also disturbed. The Victim’s Psyche is disturbed for a long time after the
incident. There are many problems he/she has to face like post-traumatic
stress, anxiety attacks, self-harming behaviour, uncontrolled anger issues etc.
Victimization can impact an individual’s ability to perform across a variety of
roles, including those related to parenting, intimate relationships, and
occupational and social functioning. It can also cause disruptions in social
activities and impaired functioning in social relationships.

 REFERENCE

1. Brainboosterarticle.com
2. Study.com
3. Internationaljournaloflaw.com
4. The Effect and Consequences of Victimization
5. Crime Victimization