Topic 13:

Victimology

Duration:

5 hours

Objective:

At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:

1. discuss the concepts of victimology.
2. state the models and theories of victimization.
3. identify the types of victims.

Instructional materials:

Victimology.ppt

Teaching-Learning Activity/Lesson Proper:

Victimology
The branch of criminology that scientifically studies the relationship
between an injured party and an offender by examining the causes
and the nature of the consequent suffering.
It focuses on whether the perpetrators were complete strangers, mere
acquiantances, friends, family members, or even intimates and why a
particular person was targeted.
Criminal victimization may inflict economic costs, physical injuries
and psychological harm.

Criminal victims
Could be key actors in the criminal justice process.
Becomes the FORGOTTEN PERSON of the CJS while the criminal
is the celebrity.
Victims are only valued for their capacity to report crimes and to
 appear in court as witnesses.

Victim Blaming
A phenomenon where the victims of crimes are held accountable for
what happened to them.
It allows people to believe that such events could never happen to
them.

Benjamin Mendelsohn
He believes that most victims had an “unconscious aptitude for being
victimized”.
He coined the term victimology.

Hans Von Hentig

He wrote an article about the victim – criminal interaction.

Theories Of Victimization

1. Victim Precipitation
The person who suffers eventual harm from a crime plays a direct
role in causing the crime to be perpetrated.
It occurs when the offender’s action is committing or beginning to
commit a crime is initiated after and directly related to an action (be it
physical, verbal, conscious or unconscious) on the part of the victim.
a. Active Precipitation
Occurs when victim acts provocatively, use threats or fighting
words, or even attack first.
When female victims dress provocatively or pursuing
relationships with a rapist.
b. Passive Precipitation
Occurs when the victims exhibit some personal characteristics
that unknowingly either threatens or encourages the attacker.
The crime can occur because of personal conflict - when two
people compete for a job, promotions, love interests
2. Lifestyle or Exposure Theory
Victimization depends heavily upon the concept of life style.
Victims put themselves in danger by engaging in high-risk activities

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3. Routine Activities Theory
Developed by Marcus Felson and Lawrence Cohen
A pool of motivated offenders exists, and these offenders will take
advantage of unguarded, suitable targets.
Elements:
a. A likely offender
b. A suitable target
c. The absence of a capable guardian
4. Deviant Place Theory
Victims are prone to victimization because one resides in a socially
disorganized high-crime area.
Deviant places include poor densely populated area, highly transient
neighborhoods, and commercial areas with residential property in
close proximity.
General Classes of Victims (Based on the classification of Hans Von Hentig)
1. The Young - the weak by virtue and immaturity
2. The Female – often less physically powerful and easily dominated by
males.
3. The Old – the incapable of Physical defense and the common object of
confidence scheme.
4. The Mentally Defective – those that are unable to think clearly.
5. The Immigrant – those that are unsure of the rules of conduct in the
surrounding society.
6. The Minorities – racial prejudice may lead to victimization or unequal
treatment by the agency of justice.

Psychological Types of Victims

1. The Depressed – submissive person by virtue of emotional condition
2. The Acquisitive or Greedy – person who wants more than what is
sufficient makes a natural victim of crime.
3. The Wanton or Overly Sensual - a person ruled by passion and
thoughtlessly seeking pleasure.
4. The Lonesome – person who eventually becomes a victim by virtue of
wanting companionship or affection
5. The Heartbroken – one who is emotionally disturbed by virtue of

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 heartaches and pains.
6. The Tormented – a victim who asked for it, often from his own family
or friend.

Other Types of Victims

Benjamin Mendelsohn, a European defense attorney created his own

classification of victim types. This includes the following six categories:

1. The completely innocent victim – such a person is an ideal victim in

popular perception. In this category placed persons victimized while they
were unconscious, and the child victims.
2. Victims with only minor guilt and those victimized due to ignorance.
3. The victim who guiltier than the offender – this category was
described as containing persons who provoked the criminal or actively
induced their own victimization.
4. The most guilty victim “who is guilty alone” – an attacker killed by a
would be victim in the act of defending themselves were placed in this
category.
5. The imaginary victim – those suffering from mental disorders, or those
victims due to extreme mental abnormalities.

PENAL COUPLE
Penal Couple is a term that describes the relationship between the
victim and the criminal.

VICTIMAL
Describes the victim, counterpart of criminal.

VICTIMITY
It signified the opposite of criminality.

LOSER
One who is initially the attacker but later, the situation is reversed.

Dynamics of Victimization

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A. Victims of Crime Model (by Bard and Sangrey).
According to this model, there are three stages involved in any victimization.
1. Stage of Impact and Disorganization - during and immediately
following the criminal event.
2. Stage of Recoil – during which the victim formulates psychological
defenses and deals with conflicting emotions of guilt, anger,
acceptance and desire of revenge (3-8mon).
3. Reorganization Stage – during which the victim puts his or her life
back to normal daily living.

*Some victims, however may not successfully adopt the victimization

experience and a maladaptive reorganization stage may last for many years.

B. Disaster Victim’s Model

This model was developed to explain the coping behavior of victims of natural disaster. According
to this model, there are four stages of victimization:
1. Pre-impact – the stage which describes the victim’s condition prior to being victimized.
2. Impact – the stage at which victimization occurs.
3. Post-impact – the stage which entails the degree and duration of personal and social
disorganization following victimization.
4. Behavioral Outcome – the stage that describes the victim’s adjustment to the victimization
experience.

Factors of Victimization
1. Hedonism
2. Materialistic Culture
3. Sex Values
4. Decay of discipline
5. Public morality

Other factors of Victimization:

1. Provocation
2. Instigation – encourage a criminal to take action
3. Facilitation – victim places himself at risk
4. Vulnerability or invitation
5. Cooperation – victim is a party to a consensual crime (public order
crime)
6. Attractiveness
7. Impunity – victim did not report the crime
Republic Act No. 7309

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 Otherwise referred to as the Victim Compensation Program.

Enhancement Activity/Outcome:

Assessment:

References

Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. (2020). Victimology. Retrieved online on

June 8, 2020 at http://www.britannica.com/science/victimology