Anisah Ahmed-Dilibe

Victimology
Mid-Term Paper
03-07-2020

For Criminology and Victimology, victimization is one of the most essential aspects of

research. Victimization as a focal point of research, from an academic point of view, has

different types that are researched and analyzed. The emphasis of this paper is solely on the

perpetrators of the societally prevalent violent crime acts. Though the jurisdictions around the

world can differ slightly due to variations in jurisdictions around the world, including murder,

sexual assault and robbery, are broad categories of violent crime. The victim of a violent crime is

commonly seen as the person who, after being attacked, normally experiences direct or indirect

harms. The harm is typically physical, emotional and financial, and is done by another person

who is the victim or the suspect. Oxford defines a violent crime as a crime in which an individual

or perpetrator uses force on a victim or threatens it. It encompasses both crimes where the violent

act is the target, such as murder or rape, as well as crimes where violence is the means to an end

(Oxford, 2018). The aim of this essay is to address the role of victims and perpetrators in

victimization by violent acts that focus mainly on homicide, sexual abuse and theft. The essay

suggests that victims of violent crimes are typically the perpetrators' targets due to their lifestyle

and routine, as well as the security systems in place. The essay deals thoroughly with the theory

of moral choices, lifestyle theory and routine theory of victimization by violent acts while also

offering insight into the security provided to victims and the attention given to criminals in

America's criminal justice system.

Firstly, I will begin with a holistic examination of the victims of the homicide of the

violent crime. According to the dictionary definition of homicide, this is "the deliberate and

unlawful killing by another of one person; murder" (Oxford 2018). Homicide is seen as one of

the most extreme forms of violent crime with the most severe consequences. Judicial homicide
 Anisah Ahmed-Dilibe
Victimology
Mid-Term Paper
03-07-2020

takes many forms, including accidental murder or intentional murder. Suicide is classified into

two broad categories, murder and suicide, depending on the person committing the offense's

men's rea and actus rea. In addition to its direct impact and repercussions to the perpetrator,

murder has serious negative effects on the lives of our victims and survivors of the crime. While

many will concentrate on the defendant and the punishment, he/she is being given by the

criminal justice system, others forget about the victims and those profoundly affected by it.

Homicide has a devastating effect on the family members of the victims and those around him or

her. In addition, the loss can be difficult to handle in some situations. Also murder survivors will

feel traumatized and emotionally devastated the rest of their lives. "Homicide survivors may

cope with economic stressors, stigma, fear of recurrence, anxiety when experiencing reminders

of the incident, negative attitudes about themselves and the world, and feelings of guilt and

obligation" (Fox & Zawitz, 2007). Homicide is caused by a mixture of person, connection,

society, and societal factors. The homicide rates tend to be lower in well-developed areas with

lower poverty levels. Good insight was given in 2014 as regards Winnipeg through the GSS

(General Social Survey) report. Aboriginal people have been found to become murder victims at

a rate 10 times higher than that of non-aboriginal individuals. This is ignored since most of the

violence in Winnipeg still happens in areas of aboriginal communities. However, the issue is not

the people but the lifestyle they follow is according to the theory of lifestyle. When it comes to

victimization, lifestyle theory stresses the role of being exposed to "high risk times, places, and

people." This hypothesis presumes that people are targeted on the basis of their lifestyle choices,

and that these lifestyle choices expose them to criminal offenders and circumstances where

crimes can be committed. Siegel aptly puts it that "victims share personality characteristics that
 Anisah Ahmed-Dilibe
Victimology
Mid-Term Paper
03-07-2020

are also commonly found in violators of legislation, namely impulsiveness and low self-control"

(Siegel, 2006). As a function of engaging in behaviors that increase the amount of time spent in

public spaces, especially at night, and time spent among strangers, the likelihood of victimization

increases. Lifestyles are significant because they increase potential offenders' exposure without

adequate restrictions that can deter a crime. Examples of certain lifestyle choices suggested by

this theory involve going out late at night (most clubs located in downtown areas), living in

badly established parts of town (north end), associating with convicted felons, becoming

promiscuous, consuming excessive alcohol and indulging in drugs. Unfortunately, areas closest

to Downtown Winnipeg have seen people who have embraced habits that encourage illegal

activity and only recently a meth (highly addictive drug) epidemic has reached alarming heights

in the same area.

The lifestyle theory is true not only for homicide, but also for other violent crimes such as

theft and sexual assault, and the current meth crisis has significantly increased cases of robbery.

As reported by Global News, "Ask anyone who has stolen their vehicle, broken their garage into

or shattered their car windows, and it's probably an abuser who is searching for something to sell

that's behind the property crime," Max Waddell of the Organized Crime Unit of the Winnipeg

Police Service said (Thompson 2018). That takes us to our next big violent crime act and its

effect on the victim; robbery. Robbery is the unlawful and unwanted removal to one's own use of

any personal property. The crime of robbery involves; the taking of another's property through

abuse, coercion or threat in their absence or in their presence with the intent of permanently

depriving them of it. However, in victim blaming entirely I contend against the wisdom. Social

status within communities as shown by the value of being viewed as affluent and resourceful is a
 Anisah Ahmed-Dilibe
Victimology
Mid-Term Paper
03-07-2020

key component of the victim-blaming approach decision to offend. Theft and violence rely on

the perceived arrest risk, subjective psychological incentives (including anticipation and social

status), and perceived opportunities. The perceived punishment risk does have a small but

significant impact. Binding values accounted for a larger proportion of the victim-blaming

variance than other factors such as gender and political orientation (Matsueda, 2006). This can

vary according to the nature of the possession and the victim. Robbery victims are portrayed and

blamed for where they are going or how they are holding their belongings. This seems to be a

bias-filled approach when we look at crime rates in terms of localities. Robbery incidents have

occurred more in downtown and nearby areas and the victims have also been mostly the

inhabitants of the surrounding areas rather than the posh localities of Tuxedo, Corydon, and

South Point among others. In fact, robbery has more to do with the protection and perceived

threat around it. It is also not about the carrying of valuables but also about risk and protection.

Also, it is not the matter of carrying valuables but also vulnerability and security measures

around you that matter. Over half of all robbery victims were elderly, non-mentally stable and

females were more likely to be attacked. When we purely focus our discussion to the violence

and robbery combined, it has been found that perpetrators are selective in their choice of target;

they select people who appear vulnerable, without the means to protect themselves. For instance,

Wright and Rosi found that violent offenders choose armed and dangerous victims, choosing to

choose more defenseless victims who are less likely to resist (Wright and Rosi 1983). For

example, it may take less violence to rob an elderly woman of her belongings than it would

require threatening a strong young man (Wright and Rosi 1983).

 Anisah Ahmed-Dilibe
Victimology
Mid-Term Paper
03-07-2020

In terms of violent robbery, the all-important moral theory of choice is a theory that best

explains the very possible reason why one gets victimized. In victimology, the theory of rational

choice adopts a utilitarian belief which views the offender as an actor of reasoning. In

comparison, the rational choice theory posits that one takes those actions, criminal or lawful,

which maximize payoff and minimize costs ”(Akers 1990). Rational choice theory is an

important research to clarify the causes of victimization by theft, according to a report published

on the children's welfare website of the Government of Ontario. Before committing a crime, the

reasoning criminal weighs the chances of getting caught, the severity of the expected penalty and

the value to be gained by committing the act. This means that if offenders perceive the costs to

be too high, the act to be too risky, or the payoff to be too small, they will choose to not engage

in the act. The enabling factors are therefore one that needs to be looked at rather than going into

victim blaming and limiting fundamental freedoms. Understanding the benefits of an improved

law and order situation at a locality is critical. To prevent victimization, programs such as

neighborhood watch, home alarms, general awareness, and a stronger surveillance system and

intelligence network implemented by law enforcement agencies are highly important.

Sexual assault is seen as "any type of sexual interaction or conduct that happens without

the recipient's explicit consent. There are many factors that contribute to the sexual violence

happening. It is necessary to have a clear understanding of sexual assault in order to eliminate

any stigma from the report, to be blamed is the perpetrator and the one who files the crime is not

the victim. Torturers have a strong sense of entitlement about the survivor. Our society has

traditionally been extremely chauvinistic, and any history student would give you this very clear

idea. The perpetrators use power and control to commit acts of sexual violence. Most
 Anisah Ahmed-Dilibe
Victimology
Mid-Term Paper
03-07-2020

perpetrators are still in the mindset where they believe in the “traditional” gender roles that focus

on the inequality of women. This allows them to treat women and the targeted victim with

extremely low or zero sense of empathy. It is also important to look at other factors which

contribute to the prevalence of sexual violence such as those used to justify or excuse sexual

violence. A study was conducted at the University of Manitoba in 1983 according to a report in

the Indian Journal of Psychiatry. 352 male psychology introductory students at the University of

Manitoba were tested and it was found that the probability of raping or the likelihood of using

force could be predicted on the basis of rape-supportive attitudes and a combination of variables

of attitude and sexuality, but not on the basis of variables of sexuality alone. Thus, personality

traits seem to have a more important role in the' construction' of rape”(Bhigra, Kalra 2013).

Sexual assault has severely frightening consequences. It can cause anxiety, high-order

depression, rob a person of his self-identity making the victim confused, perplexed, shocked, and

alone and terrified. It may also cause a post-traumatic stress disorder and other serious mental

health issues (World Health Organization 2018). The daily task theory can articulately describe

sexual assault. According to the theory, violent crime behavior involves a motivated perpetrator

with criminal intent, the ability to execute his action, the victim, and the absence of someone to

protect the victim. A crime shall be committed when these conditions are met. If we put sexual

assault in perspective, workplace assault happens when a position of higher authority sees a

subordinate alone away from sight and is sure that the victim will be in the spot such as the

office kitchen. He exploits the routine to carry out the act and this is a lot common when the

victim has no protector in the higher management. This provides us with a clear example of

routine theory which facilitates the violent sexual assault crime (Felson, Cohen 1980).
 Anisah Ahmed-Dilibe
Victimology
Mid-Term Paper
03-07-2020

Criminology at the beginning of the twentieth century was largely confined to justifying

the actions of those who committed crimes. Early criminology philosophy centered on criminals,

and until 1970, our justice system focused more on victims; their rights, their anger and their

discontent with the systems. One of the most significant things adopted during this period was

the process of victim survey. Because our structure and our national debate have been revamped

and strengthened, things have been looking positive. The debate has now turned to societal

characteristics, family characteristics and a plethora of social factors. In the victim’s community,

though, there are still voices heard that are unpleasant to hear. There are still concerns and a

perception that certain elements in our criminal justice system cause the criminals to get away.

Emma La Rocque, a Canadian Aboriginal woman, notes in relation to this ongoing debate "it

remains a mystery how perpetrators, more often than victims, have come to represent collective

rights" (La Rocque 2002). She adds that, “Research on over representation of victimization in

America's justice scheme has qualified it to the structures of settlement, which have included

focusing on the criminal justice structures and procedures through the attention of providing

more attention towards the offenders while ignoring the legitimacy of the social control

mechanisms used by supporting communities and victim” (LaRocque, 2002). A 2014 research

conducted by the CTV news reported that Canadians have little faith in the criminal justice

system because they believe victims are often overlooked (Beeby 2014). On the opposite, others

put forward the counter argument that victims don't speak out and often end up blaming

themselves for themselves. This is not due to the criminal justice system but to the victims ' lack

of understanding of it.
 Anisah Ahmed-Dilibe
Victimology
Mid-Term Paper
03-07-2020

However, an alternative to restorative justice will greatly help and assist the victims in

the criminal justice system. The judges make the decision whether to enforce restorative

sentences depending on the forms and seriousness of the offense and other mitigating

circumstances. The main focus of restorative principles refers to the process of mending to

restore broken personal and social ties. The victim is the target, the goal being to restore and

rebuild the physical, financial, mental and spiritual well-being of the victim (Balfour 2008). It

also requires the offender's deliberate actions to restore integrity and confidence, and to return to

a stable physical, social, mental and spiritual state. To move smoothly forward it needs the

cooperation of all the parties involved in the process.

The perpetrator must accept and show sincere regret for the crime committed (Ney 2012).

Full implications of the crime need to be written out and addressed as the defendant deals with

the causes of the offense and makes restitution where possible and offers concrete evidence of

more responsible behavior. If the defendant does not want to comply, the alternative option will

remain the conventional procedure. The victims are encouraged to evaluate their emotions and

use any support network to promote healing. Victims are encouraged to see that thoughts of

retributive behavior against the perpetrator often worsen their own victimization. "The object of

restorative justice is to heal the wounds of every victim harmed by an offense" (Consedine,

1995). When possible, they are invited to participate in a facilitated group process, together with

representatives of the offender and the community. This is just what is missing in America's

criminal justice system right now and the increased use of restorative approach is the right way

forward to solving the issue.

 Anisah Ahmed-Dilibe
Victimology
Mid-Term Paper
03-07-2020

Before drawing a conclusion, it is important to first state that the victims ' situation needs

to be better understood in terms of the violence arising from violent actions around the world and

in America. Victim blaming must be the last step when addressing the study of murder, violent

theft and sexual assault in these specific crimes. The theory of rational choice and the routine

theory represent to us the victim's insecurity when a criminal is motivated and in the given

circumstances has his conditions met. Nevertheless, the lifestyle solution gives us good reason to

understand that the victim also has to take the necessary measures to prevent victimization from

happening. The seriousness of the crimes addressed can lead to victimization becoming a

potentially life-destroying problem that should be mirrored in the criminal justice system rather

than focusing too much on the perpetrator. However, the more commonly used restorative

approach is the one that addresses the flaws in the criminal justice system right away.

REFERENCES

Shapland, J., Willmore, J., & Duff, P. (1985). Victims in the criminal justice system (p. 1).
Aldershot: Gower.

Felson, R. B. (1997). Routine activities and involvement in violence as actor, witness, or target.
Violence and Victims, 12(3), 209−221.

LaRocque, E. (1996). “Re-examining Culturally Appropriate Models in Criminal Justice

Applications”. In: Asch, M. (ed). (1997). Aboriginal and Treaty Rights in Canada: Essays on
Law, Equality, and Respect for Difference. Vancouver: UBC Press
 Anisah Ahmed-Dilibe
Victimology
Mid-Term Paper
03-07-2020

Akers, R. (1990). Rational Choice, Deterrence, and Social Learning Theory in Criminology: The
Path Not Taken. The Journal Of Criminal Law And Criminology (1973-), 81(3), 653. doi:
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Beeby, D. (2018). Study finds Canadians have little confidence in justice system. Retrieved from
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Freilich, J., & Newman, G. (2017). Situational Crime Prevention. Oxford Research Encyclopedia
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Kalra, G., & Bhugra, D. (2013). Sexual violence against women: Understanding cross-cultural
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Balfour, G. (2008). Falling between the cracks of retributive and restorative justice: The

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Consedine, J. (1995). Restorative justice: Healing the effects of crime (p. 176). Lyttelton, New

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Violence and Victims, 12(3), 209−221..

 Anisah Ahmed-Dilibe
Victimology
Mid-Term Paper
03-07-2020

Ney, T. (2012). Contesting policy that undermines restorative justice for victims of

crime☆. Contemporary Justice Review, 15(3), 297-308. doi: 10.1080/10282580.2012.707426

WHO | World Health Organization. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/