What is victimization
Victimization is the increased ability of a person, due to certain qualities (spiritual, physical and professional), to become, under certain circumstances, the object of a crime (Big Legal Dictionary).
The concept of victimization comes from the Latin word victima - victim. Victimization is the tendency of a person to become a victim of attackers. All people can become a victim of circumstances or get into trouble, but this happens much more often to the victimized.
A victimized person can find himself in an unpleasant situation in circumstances that, at first glance, are neutral.
Various situations can serve as examples of victimization. For example, a teenager who complains about his classmates to teachers and then conflicts with them about this behaves in a victimized manner. The actions of a girl who behaves provocatively in a bar with drunk men can be considered victim behavior.
Process communication
To prove this, it is worth noting that these two phenomena are inextricably linked. Any action aimed at achieving the state of victim has its logical conclusion.
This means that at the moment when a person is attacked, regardless of what the outcome of the event was, he automatically acquires the status of a victim. In this case, the attack itself is victimization in the process concept. And the person against whom the crime was committed is the result.
That is why victimization is the process of influence of one event on another. The more crimes occur, the higher the risk of becoming a victim.
What is victimization behavior
The science of victimology studies victim behavior; the subject of its study is the behavior of criminals and victims. Scientists have identified a certain pattern in the actions of the criminal. If the victim behaves in a certain way and demonstrates victimization, then a crime is more likely to be committed.
For example, a criminal tries to rape a woman. If she is silent, looks scared, decides to endure it and not attract unnecessary attention to herself, then the criminal will finish what he started. If a woman resists, fights back, tries to attract the mass attention of passers-by, then with a high degree of probability she is left alone.
The term victimization is also actively used in psychology. Victimization is considered as a character trait when interacting with people in society. Typically, victimized people suffer from a victim complex, may be in toxic relationships, and silently endure insults and bullying.
There are signs by which one can consider victimization in the behavior of the victim. For example, the typical victim is always in a state of submission. The victim fulfills the attacker’s demands, but does so sluggishly, causing him to experience a new wave of aggression. It also happens the other way around, when the victim behaves too impudently and defiantly, which provokes a new wave of discontent from the criminal.
Victimization: concept and types
The founder of such a subject as victimology was L. V. Frank. In fact, without his influence the concept of victimization would not have emerged. So, Frank introduces his definition of the term. According to him, victimization is the process of becoming a victim, as well as its result, regardless of whether this is an isolated case or a mass one.
However, immediately after this, a barrage of criticism falls on Frank. Other researchers note that the concepts of process and its result should be different from each other, and not be a single whole.
For example, Riveman argues that victimization is the act in which a crime committed against a person has an impact on the development of his propensity. And if a person turns from a potential victim into a real one, then this process is called “victimization-result”.
Victimblaming
The concept of victimization is used only in Russia. In European countries and the United States, it is considered unacceptable to believe that the victim herself may be to blame for the crime. There is such a thing as victim blaming - the tendency to blame the victim for what happened to her.
Vivid examples of victim blaming:
- The police do not accept a statement from the raped girl, they order him to be taken away, they say that she herself is to blame and provoked the rapist.
- Supporting the criminal, not the victim. For example, a wife brought her lover home, the husband saw this and killed her. The public pities the man, but not the victim of his crime.
- People are looking for what the victim did wrong, where she could have screwed up, and what she did to deserve such an act.
- Accusation of stupidity and carelessness of people who transfer money to scammers or use dubious services.
- When a man becomes a victim of domestic violence, he is accused of weakness and is no longer considered a “man.”
- If a child is the victim of a crime, he may be accused of arrogance and licentiousness, and go over the methods of upbringing in the family.
- The victim of a robbery may be accused of excessively showing off his wealth or new purchase.
Europeans and Americans, for example, do not blame a girl who has become a victim of violence for being outside the house alone in the dark, or for being dressed provocatively. In their opinion, only the criminal is to blame.
What do you think, can the victim be indirectly or partially to blame for the crime, or is it only the criminal who is to blame? Let's discuss this topic in the comments.
Areas of study
Before talking about such a social phenomenon as victimization, as well as identifying the reasons for its development and influence on other processes of social development, it is necessary to clarify the basic concepts of this term. It must be said that this problem is dealt with in such areas of scientific knowledge as psychology, sociology, pedagogy, jurisprudence, etc., which elevates this topic to the ranks of the most pressing.
Karpman's triangle and victimization
The Karpman triangle reflects a co-dependent relationship where a person feels the need for self-affirmation at someone else's expense. This triangle includes the victim, the rescuer and the pursuer (villain).
Karpman triangle
Pursuer
The villain openly attacks his victims, trying to make them feel guilt, shame, and pain. Often deliberately puts people close to him in awkward situations, reproaches him for inaction or lack of activity.
Often the pursuer perceives life with hostility and sees only problematic aspects in it. He is overcome by anger, aggression, and subconscious fears. They do not take into account the feelings and emotions of other people.
The victim constantly experiences new outbursts of emotions and negative reactions. Such a person is almost unpredictable. He desperately needs a victim to justify his behavior and shift the blame onto her.
Rescuer
The rescuer is always in an advantageous position, he is “good”. He does not openly offend the victim, but devalues her feelings and feels superior to her.
Often the rescuer makes the victim look stupid, claiming that he/she is behaving like a child. Typically, the rescuer gives advice, prefers a mentoring tone, and directs others. They believe that they have a better understanding of the situation and know how to solve it.
But in reality, his rescue is just a game; the rescuer’s actions are of little use, because his goal is not real help, but attempts to assert himself. This role can transform into emotional dependence, which is also difficult to get rid of.
Victim
The victim is in a humiliated position, demonstrates victimization, and often chooses this role voluntarily. A person devalues his personality, he lacks self-confidence. The victim complains about the injustice of life and the hardships of existence.
The victim does not want to change anything, since all her energy is spent on suffering. The victim claims that nothing depends on her, that in any situation the circumstances are stronger. She is constantly in fear, expecting the worst. Often, subconsciously, the victim is looking for a tyrant to continue his co-dependent existence.
Victimization Case Study
In order to understand under what circumstances an ordinary person becomes a victim of crime, it is necessary to conduct a number of studies.
Victimization and its degree are determined if total data on the number of all victims is available. This does not depend in any way on the severity of the crime, its outcome or the presence of other factors that provoked the incident.
Simply put, victimization is the totality of all cases in which an object suffered moral or physical damage.
In addition, thanks to the study of the degree of predisposition to becoming a victim, we can talk about such a concept as crime. If we draw parallels between the cause and effect of these phenomena, the conclusion suggests itself. The more victims, the higher the crime rate, which means that human destructiveness is actively developing as an element of the social life of society.
Factors and reasons for development
Tendencies towards victim behavior can be social and phenomenological (own behavior) in nature.
Obviously, if a person grew up in a healthy atmosphere, then he will never wish to harm himself, even on a subconscious level. The instinct of self-preservation is triggered, preventing victim behavior. There are a number of social reasons that force a person to take on the victimized image of a victim:
- Living in a dysfunctional family (cases of drunkenness, drug use, marginal lifestyle of parents, child abuse, moral abuse).
- The child did not feel love, care, warmth and support from his parents.
- Parents were overprotective and protected the child from any influence from the outside world. The child grew up infantile and short-sighted, and does not understand the laws of society.
- Conflicts with peers, lack of close friends.
- Observation of scenes of violence, negative experiences because of this.
- The presence of injuries, deviations or defects, because of which a person feels outside of society.
Phenomenological factors may also explain the increased victimization. They are also formed due to previously violent behavior of the child, which was not stopped by parents or other adults.
Psychologists have come to the conclusion that the main prerequisite for phenomenological victim behavior is aggression, which manifests itself in childhood. The child offends weaker children and animals.
The child grew up and decided that aggressive behavior is the norm. At the same time, he is prepared for the possibility that violence may occur against him. Sometimes a predisposition to victimization is formed due to communication with aggressive peers, films and computer games that are not according to age.
In adults and mature people, victimization can occur if a person is constantly under the influence of negative emotions and expects even worse than what is happening to him now.
General concept
Victimization is a social process by which a person becomes the victim of a crime. Simply put, it is the result of the offender's actions towards the victim. Here it is worth defining the concept of victimization. It refers to the tendency to become a victim. Thus, victimization and victimization are inseparable concepts, in which the former is a characteristic of the latter. It can be measured by the number of cases of harm and the totality of characteristics of the victims of the crime.
How to get rid of victimization and stop being a victim
Severe victimism can develop into a serious psychological disorder, so it must be combated.
If victimization was formed under the influence of improper upbringing in childhood, then a person is unable to change the past. You will have to work with the effect, not the cause.
In most cases, the situation of victimized behavior requires professional help from a psychologist, psychotherapist, and sometimes a psychiatrist. Some people find group classes help.
But there are some things a person can do on their own (or as homework after a session with a specialist), reflecting thoughts, results and achievements in a special diary:
- Try to change your attitude towards your past and victimization. For example, a person was beaten as a child. He has the attitude “I didn’t receive parental love, I’m unhappy.” It can be changed to “I didn’t receive parental love as a child, but I can give it to my children” or “I was beaten, and I know how painful it is, so I will never offend the weak.”
- Form self-love, a positive attitude towards yourself, increase self-esteem and self-respect. It is self-confidence (see self-doubt) that makes a person independent and helps him get rid of the victim complex.
- Correct negative attitudes, views and values. This will help the victimized person change his attitude towards himself and others. For example, a woman in the role of a victim tolerates her husband who beats and humiliates her, but does not leave him. She justifies this by saying that she has nowhere to go, and she is completely financially dependent on him.
In the process of psychotherapy and independent work on oneself, it is worth developing the attitude that a woman can provide for herself and cope with difficulties. Then she will not have to endure her tyrant husband and be victimized.
- Develop an adequate type of response, develop self-control skills. For example, learn not to throw a tantrum and cry if you need something, but to calmly talk, ask, and give arguments in your favor.
- You can leave your fears and negative emotions on paper or canvas, thereby clearing your mind of “garbage” and gaining psychological relief. You don’t have to draw, you can also dance, play music, and sing.
What else could a victimized person need?
Sometimes, to relieve anxiety or combat developing depression, a person is prescribed medications.
Types of victimization
Like any other phenomenon, the process of becoming a victim is divided into types. Thus, by its nature it can be individual or mass.
In the first case, it is implied that the harm is caused to one specific person.
In the second case, we are talking about a social phenomenon - a set of both victims of crime and the acts of harm themselves, subject to certainty of place and time, as well as the presence of qualitative and quantitative characteristics. Another such mass phenomenon is defined by the term “crime”.
Also, depending on the degree of social coordination of both crime itself and the subject’s predisposition to it, the following types of this process are distinguished:
1) Primary. It means causing harm to a specific person at the time of the crime itself. It does not matter whether it was moral, material or physical damage.
2) Secondary victimization is indirect harm. It may be associated, for example, with the immediate environment, when all members of his family suffer from the theft of property from one person. There are other ways to indirectly cause harm. It is expressed in labeling, accusations of provoking illegal actions, alienation, humiliation of honor and dignity, and other actions aimed at desocializing the victim.
3) Tertiary. It refers to the influence on the victim with the help of law enforcement agencies or the media for one’s own purposes.
Sometimes they also distinguish quaternary, understanding by it such a phenomenon as genocide.
Prevention of victimization
Prevention of victimized behavior allows you to prevent the problem in time and avoid becoming a victim. To do this you need:
- give up the habit of worrying about every little thing;
- learn to defend your own opinion (or at least communicate your interests);
- try not to focus on the negative, and notice the positive sides of life;
- take responsibility, give up the habit of immediately giving in to difficulties;
- give up the habit of shifting the blame for failures onto other people, accept your weaknesses;
- Make your own decisions that affect your own life.
What do you do to avoid feeling like a victim? Share your secrets, life hacks, and thoughts in the comments.
Psychological theories of victimization
As mentioned above, many disciplines are puzzled by the concept of victimization. Including psychology. Many scientists have put forward their theories to explain why a person turns into a victim. Let's look at the most popular of them.
According to Fromm, Erickson, Rogers and others, victimization is (in psychology) a special phenomenon inherent in every person due to the presence of destructive traits. At the same time, the destructive focus is not only external, but also towards oneself.
Freud also adhered to this concept, however, he explained that without conflict there can be no development. The concept of the confrontation between two instincts: self-preservation and self-destruction also fits here.
Adler says that every person has an aggressive drive. And typical behavior is a reflection of inferiority. It does not matter whether it is real or imaginary.
Stekel's reasoning is also interesting. In his opinion, in dreams a person shows his hatred, his actual attitude towards the surrounding reality and his tendency to manifest an attraction to death.
But Horney rather relates his reasoning to pedagogical activity. He says that personality is formed from childhood. Many factors can influence the manifestation of neuroses and, as a result, difficulty in social functioning.
Victimization is... in pedagogy
By the way, according to pedagogical theories, there are several age stages at which the risk of developing victimization is increased. There are 6 of them in total:
1) The period of intrauterine development, when the influence is exerted through parents and their incorrect lifestyle.
2) Preschool period. Ignoring parents' need for love, misunderstanding of peers.
3) Junior school period. Excessive care or, conversely, its absence on the part of parents, the development of various defects, rejection by teachers or peers.
4) Adolescence. Drunkenness, smoking, drug addiction, molestation, influence of criminal groups.
5) Early youth. Unwanted pregnancy, attribution of non-existent defects, alcoholism, failures in relationships, bullying by peers.
6) Youth. Poverty, alcoholism, unemployment, failures in relationships, inability to further study.
