CLASSIFICATION OF VICTIMS

Who is a victim?

Generally, a victim is the person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime or the one who suffers the
consequences of a crime.

The word “victim” is derived from the Latin word victima and originally included the concept of sacrifice.

The U.S Federal Law defines a crime victim as a person, organization, or business that has been directly
harmed (physically, emotionally, or financially) as a result of the crime commission of an offense.

Categories of crime victims according to Hans Von Hentig

1. The Young – those who are weak due to age and immaturity.
2. Females – often less physically powerful and easily dominated by males
3. Old – those who are incapable of physical defense.
4. Immigrants – those who are unsure of the rules of conduct in the surrounding society
5. Depressed – those who are submissive by virtue of emotional condition
6. Mentally Defective/Deranged – those who do not recognize or appropriately respond to threats in
the environment because they are unable to think clearly.
7. The Acquisitive – those who want more than that what is sufficient; they become victims because
of their greed.
8. Dull Normal – those who have the inability to activate assistance in the community.
9. Minorities – those who are victimized because of their social status or the unequal treatment by
the agency of justice
10. Wanton – those who thoughtlessly seeks pleasure; they are ruled by passion.
11. The lonesome or heartbroken – those who do not recognize danger because of their mental state
and their desire for companionship.
12. Tormentor – those who provoke their victimization through violence and aggression toward others.
13. The blocked, exempted and fighting – those who are trapped in poor decisions and unable to
defend themselves or seek assistance if victimized.

Classification of victims according to Benjamin Mendelsohn

1. Completely Innocent victim – a victim who bears no responsibility at all for victimization; victimized
simply because of his or her nature, such as being a child
2. Victim with minor guilt – a victim who is victimized due to ignorance; a victim who inadvertently
places himself or herself in harm’s way.
3. Victim as guilty as offender/ voluntary victim – a victim who bears as much responsibility as the
offender; a person who, for example, enters into a suicide pact.
4. Victim more guilty than offender – a victim who instigates or provokes his or her own victimization.
5. Most guilty victim – a victim who is victimized during the perpetration of a crime or as a result of
crime.
6. Simulating or imaginary victim – a victim who is not victimized at all but, instead, fabricates a
victimization event.

Categories of victims according to Stephen Schafer

1. Unrelated victims – no responsibility

2. Provocative victims – share responsibility
 3. Precipitated victims – some degree of responsibility
4. Biologically weak victims – no responsibility
5. Socially weak victims – no responsibility
6. Self- victimizing – total responsibility
7. Political victims – no responsibility

Victims of Crime Model

• Stage of Impact and Disorganization – during and immediately following the criminal events.
• Stage of Recoil – during which the victim formulates psychological defenses and deals with
conflicting emotions of guilt, anger, acceptance, and desire of revenge.
• Reorganization stage – during which the victim puts his /her life back to normal daily living.
Disaster Victim’s Model
• Pre-impact Stage - describes the state of victim prior to being victimized.
• Impact or the stage at which the victimization occurs.
• Post Impact Stage – which entails the degree and duration of personal and social disorganization
following victimization.
• Behavioral outcome – which describes the victim’s adjustment to the victimization experience.