VICTIM

History and Overview of

Victimology
• Victimology, as an academic term, combines the Latin
word victima, meaning "victim," and the Greek word logos,
meaning "a system of knowledge."
• The history of victimology is intertwined with the history
of crime and justice. Early laws, like the Code of
Hammurabi, recognized the rights of victims. Over time,
movements like feminism and civil rights highlighted
injustices faced by victims, leading to the modern victims'
rights movement. This movement began with a small group
of volunteers advocating for victims within the criminal
justice system. It has since grown into a powerful force,
expanding awareness, support, and rights for victims across
society.
● Victimology is the scientific study of victims,
primarily focusing on crime victims. It examines all
aspects of victimization, including victim behaviors,
theories explaining victimization, and the laws,
policies, and programs designed to support victims'
recovery from physical, psychological, economic, and
legal harm.

• The concept of victimology as a science originated

with Benjamin Mendelsohn, who coined the term in
1956. In his work, he proposed creating an
international society to study victims, which led to the
establishment of the World Society of Victimology and
several victimology institutes, such as the Tokiwa
International Victimology Institute in Japan.
 Critical Dates
in Victimology
• 1924 Edwin Sutherland included a chapter on victims in his
criminology textbook
• 1937 Benjamin Mendelsohn publishes his writings on the rapist
and his victim.
• 1941 Hans Von Hentig publishes article on victim and criminal
interactions.
• 1947 Benjamin Mendelsohn coins the term "victimology" in a
French journal.
• 1949 Frederic Wertham first used the word "victimology" in a
book Show of Violence.
• 1957 Margery Fry proposes victim compensation in the London
Times.
• 1958 Marvin Wolfgang studies homicide victims; uses the term
"victim precipitation".
• 1972 The first three victim assistance programmes are
created in St. Louis, Missouri, San Francisco, California and
in Washington, D. C.
• 1973 the first international symposium on victimology is
held in Jerusalem, Israel.
• 1974 the first police-based victim advocate project is
started in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. 1975 The first
"Victim Rights' Week" is organized by the Philadelphia
District attorney, Pennsylvania, USA.
• 1976 John Dussich launches the National Organization of
Victim Assistance (NOVA) in Fresno, California, USA.
• 1976 Emilio Viano launches the first scholarly journal
devoted to victimology.
• 1976 James Rowland creates the first Victim Impact
Statement in Fresno, California, USA.
• 1979 The World Society of Victimology is founded in
Munster, Germany.
• 1980 Mother against Drunk Drivers (MADD) is founded by
 •1981 President Ronald Reagan proclaims the
first national Victims' Rights Week in April.
•1982 the first Victim Impact Panel established by
MADD to educate drunk drivers about how their
victims suffered, started in Rutland,
Massachusetts, USA.
•1984 The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)
establishes the National Crime VICTIMS Fund from
federal crime fines to pay for state victim
compensation and services.
1985 The United Nations unanimously adopts the
Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for
Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.
•1987 The US Department of Justice opens the
National Victims Resource Centre in Rockville
Maryland.
•1988 The first "Indian Nation: Justice for Victims
of Crime conference is held by the office for
Victims of Crime in Rapid City, South Dakofar USA.
KEY TERMS:
1. "CRIME VICTIM" IS A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN
PHYSICALLY , FINANCIALLY Y) OR EMOTIONALLY
INJURED AND/OR HAD THEIR PROPERTY TAKEN OR
DAMAGED BY
someone committing a crime.

2. "Victimogenesis" refers to the origin or cause of

victimization; the constellation of variables which
caused a victimization to occur.
 3. "VICTIM PRECIPITATION" A VICTIMIZATION WHERE
THE VICTIM CAUSES, IN PART OR TOTALLY, THEIR OWN
VICTIMIZATION.

4. "VULNERABILITY" IS A PHYSICAL , PSYCHOLOGICAL,

SOCIAL (HAS NO FRIENDS), MATERIAL OR FINANCIAL
CONDITION WHEREBY A PERSON OR AN OBJECT HAS A
WEAKNESS WHICH COULD RENDER THEM A VICTIM OF
ANOTHER PERSON OR PERSONS WOULD RECOGNIZE
THESE WEAKNESSES AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM..

5. "GENERAL VICTIM" IS A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN

PHYSICALLY , FINANCIALLY OR EMOTIONALLY INJURED
AND/OR HAD THEIR PROPERTY TAKEN.
 6. "VICTIMIZATION" REFERS TO A EVENT WHERE
PERSON, COMMUNITIES AND INSTITUTION ARE
DAMAGED OR INJURED IN SIGNIFICANT WAY. THOSE
PERSON WHO ARE IMPACTED BY PERSON OR EVENT
SUFFER A VIOLATION OF RIGHTS OR SIGNIFICANT
DISRUPTION OF THEIR WELL-BEING.

7. "Victimology" is an academic scientific discipline

which studies data that describes phenomenon and
casual relationships related to victimization.

8. "Abuse of Power" is the violation of a national or

international standard like in the use of organized
powerful forces such that person are injured physically,
mentally, emotionally, economically, or in their rights,
as a direct and intentional result of the misapplication
of these forces.
 9. " VICTIM ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT OR SERVICES " ARE THOSE
ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY THE GOV'T LIKE THE POLICE
ASSISTANCE DESK, PROSECUTION, THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
JUSTICE COURT, LAW FIRMS AND OTHER WHICH ARE APPLIED IN
SUFFERING AND FACILITATING RECOVERY.

10. " Victim Recovery " is the resumption of the same or better
level of functionality as was enjoyed prior to
victimization .Person who have been victimized vary in
victimization

11. " Child Abuse " is the intentional application of sexual (a

child was raped), physical ( a child who is being whipped by his
father every time he gets drunk), emotional or psychological (a
child threatened by his father that he will his her and her
mother is she will tell her mother that she is being raped by
her father) injury to a child to include neglect at the hands of
her or his parents or care providers within the confines of their
family or place of care.
 12." VICTIM OFFENDER MEDIATION " (VOM) IS A FORMAL
PROCESS FOR FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS IN THE PRESENCE OF A
TRAINED MEDIATIOR BETWEEN A VICTIM OF A CRIME AND
HIS/HER OFFENDER WHO COMMITTED THAT CRIME.

13. " Restorative Justice " is a systematic formal legal reponse

to crime victimization that emphasizes healing the injuries that
resulted from the crime and affected the victims, offender and
communities.

14. "Victim Trauma" includes emotional and physical

experiences that produce pain and injuries, Emotional injury is
a normal response to an extremely abnormal event.

15. " CrisisIntervvention" is the provinsion of emergency

psychological care to traumatized victims so as to help them
return to a adaptive level of functioning and to prevent or
mitigate the negative impact of psychological and emotional
trauma.
16. COMPENSATION-is a process where the government gives
money to victims of crimes to cover their real expenses caused
by the crime. This helps victims pay for costs like medical bills
or burial expenses.

17. RESTITUTION-is a legal process where a judge orders an

offender (the person who committed the crime) to pay money
or perform services to the victim as part of their punishment.
This is meant to help the victim recover from the harm caused
by the crime.

18. VICTIM SURVEY-Is a study that gathers information about

crime victims from the general public. It looks at things like
who has been victimized, their demographics (age, gender,
etc.), and how they feel about crime..

19. VICTIM RIGHTS-are laws that ensure victims receive fair

treatment and protection in the criminal justice system. These
rights help victims feel safe and respected.
16. COMPENSATION-is a process where the government gives
money to victims of crimes to cover their real expenses caused
by the crime. This helps victims pay for costs like medical bills
or burial expenses.

17. RESTITUTION-is a legal process where a judge orders an

offender (the person who committed the crime) to pay money
or perform services to the victim as part of their punishment.
This is meant to help the victim recover from the harm caused
by the crime.

18. VICTIM SURVEY-Is a study that gathers information about

crime victims from the general public. It looks at things like
who has been victimized, their demographics (age, gender,
etc.), and how they feel about crime..

19. VICTIM RIGHTS-are laws that ensure victims receive fair

treatment and protection in the criminal justice system. These
rights help victims feel safe and respected.
NATURE AND
CONCEPT OF
VICTIMIZATIO
N
 A. THE SOCIAL
ECOLOGY OF
•Violent crimes are more likely to occur in a
VICTIMIZATION
public area during daytime because it easier for
the offenders to flee after committing the crime
as in public places, there are so many people
around that the victim may not even realize she
is robbed.

•The risk of murder is higher in disorganized

inner- city areas.
•Rural areas have significantly lower
victimization rather than urba
b. The victim’s
characteristics
Gender
• Males are more likely than
females to be victims of violent
crimes.
• Women are much more likely to
be victims of rape or sexual
harassment.
• Females are most often victimized
by someone his is because they
b. The victim’s
characteristics
Age
• Young people face much greater
victimization risk than older people
do.
• The elders are more likely to be
helpless targets for the predator
criminal actually much safer than
their grandchild.
• Teens also face high risk because
they spend great time in the most
b. The victim’s
characteristics
Social Status
• Poorest families are the most
victims of violence and
property crimes.
• The wealthy are more likely
the targets of personal theft
crimes.
b. The victim’s
characteristics
Marital Status
• Never married man women has
higher risk to the victim.
• Widows and widowers have lower
victimization risk.
b. The victim’s
characteristics
Race and Ethnicity
• Because of income inequality, racial
minority group members are often
forced to live in deteriorated areas
beset by alcohol and drug abuse.
• African American are more likely
than whites to be victims of violent
crime because of racial
discrimination.
 b. The victim’s
characteristics
Repeat Victimization
• Target Vulnerability- the victim's physical weakness of
psychological distress renders the incapable of resisting
crime and makes an easy target like for example children
and people with mental problem.
• Target Gratifiability- some victim has some quality,
possession, skill, or attribute that an offender wants to
obtain, use, have access or to manipulate. Having
attractive possession such as leather coat, jewelries may
make one vulnerable to predatory crime.
• Target Antagonism- some characteristics increase risks
because they arouse anger, jealousy, or destructive
c.vICTIMS AND
THEIR
CRIMINALS
• Males are more likely to be violently
victimized by the strangers. This is because
men tend to hang out with people they don't
know.
• Females are more likely to be victims of
people they know.
• There are also crimes done by their own
relative or sibling-siblings.
 D. The VICTIM’S
HOUSEHOLD
In U.S., certain homes are more vulnerable
to crimes.
• Larger homes (family size)
• African American
• Renters
• Western and Urban Homes
• Rural white homes in the Northeast
Thank