When we study crime we oftentimes look at the victim, this study is termed Victimology, a branch of Criminology. Victimology scientifically studies the relationship between an injured party and an offender by examining the causes and the nature of the consequent suffering. Specifically, victimology focuses on whether the perpetrators were complete strangers, mere acquaintances, friends, family members, or even inmates and why a particular person or place was targeted. Criminal victimization oftentimes inflicts economic costs, physical injuries, and psychological harm.
According to Brittanica, Victimology first emerged in the 1940s and ’50s, when several criminologists (notably Hans von Hentig, Benjamin Mendelsohn, and Henri Ellenberger) examined victim-offender interactions and stressed reciprocal influences and role reversals. These pioneers raised the possibility that certain individuals who suffered wounds and losses might share some degree of responsibility with the lawbreakers for their own misfortunes. By systematically investigating the actions of victims, costly mistakes could be identified and risk-reduction strategies could be discerned.
Although the field originally focused on the varying degrees of victim blameworthiness, by the 1970s this preoccupation became overshadowed by studies intended to prevent victimization, to improve the way complainants are handled by the police and courts, and to speed recovery. As a result of these studies, researchers and concerned citizens alike turn to educating particular populations of people who are more likely to have a crime committed against them, women in particular. This is where a major issue lies. Yes, we as a society need to be knowledgeable about what perpetrators are looking for when they are seeking to commit a crime but this does not mean we should turn to solely educating women on how to avoid being victimized and then blame said woman for the acts committed against her.
Many researchers and citizens have good intentions when saying for example, “Wear something less revealing so you don’t attract too much attention” or “Watch the amount of alcohol you consume, someone may take advantage of you”. But what happens when that woman does get raped after a night out with her friends drinking, or a lady dressed in a short skirt and high heels gets sexually assaulted while walking home late at night? Is it their fault that these crimes happened to them? Didn’t we warn them?
Now, I am in no way bashing the profession of Victimologists. It is important to understand the victims suffering and to coach them through the process of healing from the harm the crime committed against them caused but, there does need to be a more productive and/or psychologically sound way of preventing crime without bashing women for what they wear or do. This is where we turn back to the basics, Criminology, where Victimization stemmed from many years ago.
Criminology is so important because it tries to understand the root of the crime, the perpetrator. These scientists study perpetrator’s motives; what they were looking for whether it be for personal pleasure, to inflict fear or pain, or even for the pure thrill of committing a crime and the adrenaline rush it may give them. The study of Criminology focuses on the motives of the criminal and the social impact of the crimes they commit. According to The Balance, they “look at every conceivable aspect of deviant behavior. This includes the impacts of crime on individual victims and their families, society at large, and even criminals themselves,” according to The Balance. Criminologists study elements like the frequency, location, causes and types of crime, then work to develop “effective and humane means of preventing it,” The Balance continues. This I believe is where Victimology stemmed from. The, “effective and humane means of preventing it”.
To be able to understand crime, criminals, and victims in their entirety we need both Criminology, Victimology, and a ton of other social sciences. The human mind, people’s actions, feelings, thoughts, and motives are beyond even the smartest scientists’ understanding. We need many researchers and unfortunately, we need crime and victims too, to be able to understand why crime happens in the first place to be able to prevent it.
We must also understand that having a crime committed against you is not your fault regardless of what you wear, how intoxicated you may be, or even simply not being aware of your surroundings. Nobody deserves to be harmed and we as a society need to find other ways of understanding and preventing crime rather than just blaming the victim to make crime less of the reality that it is in our everyday life.
This topic is one that’s often at the forefront of rape culture talks and I think you explain it really well. Victimology is clearly a really tough issue that can put victims on the spot and get to making it seem not necessarily so far and ridiculous as if it was their fault, but that there were things that someone should have done to prevent rape which is a really bad viewpoint. It’s never the victims fault. Overall, I agree with you though that we do need a good balance of criminology among other things to decipher rape as the crime that it is, we just need to be careful about how we go about doing that. In the end, you’re right, it’s never the victim’s fault.
Hello!
I had no idea that the field of victimology even existed! I feel like you implied this in your post, but it seems to me that field is quite counterproductive. Instead of making sure the perpetrator stops their misconduct, their solution is to instruct the victim on how they should stop feeling victimized? It seems to be a waste of time and energy and does not solve the real problem. Granted, the victims definitely need consolation and psychological treatment, but I think criminology is more important as I believe effective criminology will reduce the amount of victims in the end.
Great post!
Wonderful job, Breqlyne! As usual, you have handled this delicate issue very well and in sensitive manner that makes it easy for anyone, regardless of their own personal viewpoint, pause and really think about the issue.
I honestly think that victimology is good in the sense that it can help us get a better understanding of who predators tend to go for. Who is more likely to be attacked? What can we do to protect ourselves? That, however, as you said, does not mean that it is in any sense the victim’s fault when, and if, something does happen. It’s just being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Unfortunately, this darker side of victimology has seeped into nearly every part of our society, and even influences how our justice system deals with victims. So many times, I have watched a video or read a letter in which the things that the victim had to go through-all in the name of research and justice and safety-were almost as bad as what they had suffered at the hands of their attacker. For example, when watching the videos of the shooting in Florida, I couldn’t begin to imagine how horrifying it would be to run out of the building to what you think is safety, only to find that you’re being screamed at to, “Put your hands up!” and now have someone else pointing a gun at you. We’re suspicious of everyone these days, including the victims. What those kids needed was not someone, even the “good guys”, pointing guns at them and yelling at them. They needed enveloped and embraced; caressed and loved in the strong arms of those sent there to be their saviors.
I think the first time I ever came across how cruel the justice system is to victims-at least to the point where I was cognizant of it-was when I first read the victim’s letter in the Stanford rape case. I may have mentioned this in a previous comment, but it’s just something that has really stuck with me. ( https://www.buzzfeed.com/katiejmbaker/heres-the-powerful-letter-the-stanford-victim-read-to-her-ra?utm_term=.pjGWGBgr9#.nd4qo64M5 Link to the article). I remember reading her description of being in the hospital and going through rape testing, where her “clothes were confiscated” and “had multiple swabs inserted into [her] vagina” and so much worse. This was not something done by the cruel attacker, but rather, by the system that was supposed to help her and save her. Surely, there must be a better way to deal with this. I just hope we can find it.