Victimology

La mémoire européenne à l'heure du "paradigme victimaire" (European Memory in the Age of "Victimization Paradigm"), in Stella Ghervas & F. Rosset (eds), "Lieux d'Europe. Mythes et limites", Paris, Editions de la Maison des sciences de l'homme, 2008, p. 215-243.

by Stella Ghervas

Co-authored with R. Sigist. Published in Stella Ghervas & F. Rosset (eds), "Lieux d'Europe. Mythes et limites", Paris, Editions de la Maison des sciences de l'homme, 2008, p. 215-243.

Continent riche en histoire et en culture, l’Europe se conçoit pourtant moins comme héritage que comme projet... more Continent riche en histoire et en culture, l’Europe se conçoit pourtant moins comme héritage que comme projet politique et social. En se dotant de symboles étatiques comme le drapeau, la monnaie ou l’hymne, l’Union européenne a bien marqué sa volonté de concrétiser ce projet. Mais en exprimer l’essence d’une manière claire et reconnaissable, de manière à susciter l’adhésion des citoyens potentiels, est une tout autre tâche, que ces symboles abstraits ne suffisent pas à exécuter. Seul l’euro, avec sa symbolique de l’ouverture (carte sans frontières, ponts, fenêtres), est capable d’exprimer une faible partie des valeurs dont se réclame la nouvelle fédération européenne. Pour le reste, on pourrait se demander en quoi consiste le vécu commun des Européens d’aujourd’hui, si ce n’est précisément en l’utilisation d’une monnaie commune, ou l’organisation de manifestations sportives comme les coupes européennes de football.

Historiquement, c’est bien la volonté de dépasser les identités nationales classiques, et les conflits qu’elles ont engendrés notamment au xxe siècle, qui fut à l’origine de la construction européenne.

Choice or Chance? Gender, Victimization, and Responsibility in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

by Journal of Research on Women and Gender

Katherine Foss
Middle Tennessee State University

This research applied Andrew Karmen’s classifications of shared responsibility to the fictional victimizations of... more This research applied Andrew Karmen’s classifications of shared responsibility to the fictional victimizations of “anonymous victims” in the television program CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, exploring the extent to which male and female victims were considered responsible for their attacks. Findings indicate a disparity between the victimization of men and women. Storylines and visual aesthetics suggested that the victimization of anonymous men was random, therefore, male victims were not responsible for their crimes and were considered “completely innocent.” The victimization of anonymous men was quick and no sexual assault was involved. Female victims, on the other hand, were typically considered “facilitators” in their victimizations because they ignored basic rules of crime prevention or behaved in a “sexually inviting” manner. Almost all female victims were sexually assaulted and murdered, suggesting that they were not just killed, but were punished for their careless behavior. For both male and female victims, resistance proved to be futile and, in some cases, incited further attack.

Given the popularity of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, these findings are alarming. Numerous storylines convey the message that that women place themselves in danger and therefore are, to extent, responsible for becoming victims, whereas, male victims are “completely innocent.” These diverging representations perpetuate myths about rape (that women somehow “ask for it”) and overall reinforce a patriarchal hegemony in which women are too vulnerable to venture alone in public. By implicating female victims in their crimes, these fictional representations could hinder overall support in victimization discourse, and may discourage victims from reporting their crimes.

Cybercrime: Awareness and Fear Slovenian Perspectives

by Gorazd Mesko

Gorazd Mesko, Igor Bernik
Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security
University of Maribor
Ljubljana, Slovenia
gorazd.mesko@fvv.uni-mb.si, igor.bernik@fvv.uni-mb.si

In this paper the Slovene perspective on the perception
of cybercrime in terms of awareness and fear is... more In this paper the Slovene perspective on the perception
of cybercrime in terms of awareness and fear is presented. On thebasis of theoretical knowledge the online survey has been
prepared and conducted. The results of the perception of cyber
crime and its understanding have been analyzed. The results and their interpretations are the basis for further work with the
cyberspace users. Based on the results some guidelines on how to raise awareness, reduce risk and thereby reduce the fear of cybe crime in Slovenia are given.

Fear of crime in two post-socialist capital cities – Ljubljana, Slovenia and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

by Gorazd Mesko

Co-authored with Marte Fallshore, elmedin Muratbegovic and Chuck Fields
Journal of Criminal Justice, Volume 36, Issue 6, November–December 2008, Pages 546–553

Theorizing about the fear of crime is one of the main activities of contemporary research in the field of... more Theorizing about the fear of crime is one of the main activities of contemporary research in the field of international criminology. The research on variations in fear levels has been dominated by sociological, socio-demographic variables, and social-psychological models of fear of crime. This article uses multiple regression techniques in order to examine these variables to compare fear of crime in two central European capitals: Ljubljana, Slovenia and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sarajevo was found to be more fearful overall than Ljubljana. This difference may be explained by differences in the roles of the two cultures in the war of the former Yugoslavia. The current article focuses on differences in culture (e.g., status of women and self-estimation) as well as post-war conditions such as economics, social deprivation, and disorganization in order to explain differing levels of fear of crime.

Police Efforts in the Reduction of fear of Crime in Local Communities – Big Expectations and Questionable Effect

by Gorazd Mesko

Sociologija. Mintis ir veiksmas 2007/2(20), ISSN 1392-335

Abstract. Making police officers approachable and visible is one of the most important factors
in reducing... more
Abstract. Making police officers approachable and visible is one of the most important factors
in reducing fear of crime. However, the public also requires their effectiveness in crime fighting.
Community policing relies on factors such as approachability and visibility of the police, but does
not offer solutions for factors like neighbourhood decay. The role of police in the reduction of
fear of crime is quite paradoxical – on the one hand their presence in neighbourhoods reassure
citizens, while on the other hand their presence can be understood as a response to more crime
and disorder.
Keywords: fear of crime, police, community policing, neighbourhoods.

The linking mechanisms between personal victimization and fear of crime - Testing a theory of psychological incapacitation

by Gorazd Mesko

Helmut Hirtenlehner & Gorazd Meško (2011)

The article is concerned with an empirical examination of a cognitive theory of fear of crime that strives to bring... more The article is concerned with an empirical examination of a cognitive theory of fear of crime that strives to bring contradictory results on the relationship between personal victimization and fear of crime into line. Its main idea is a process of compensation between two cognitions: the perception of personal risk and the perception of the seriousness of the consequences of a potential victimization. If personal victimization leads to an adjustment of exaggerated consequence expectations to a less painful reality – to a decrease of perceived negative impact – this could cancel out the fear-enhancing effects of an increase in perceived victimization risk. If no reassessment of the consequences associated with victimization takes place, personal victimization should generate more fear of crime, mediated only by higher perceived risk. Based on survey data from five successor states of the former Republic of Yugoslavia structural equation models are estimated. The results suggest rejecting many core assumptions of a “theory of psychological incapacitation”.

The linking mechanisms between personal victimization and fear of crime - Testing a theory of psychological incapacitation

by Gorazd Mesko

Helmut Hirtenlehner & Gorazd Meško (2011)

The article is concerned with an empirical examination of a cognitive theory of fear of crime that strives to bring... more The article is concerned with an empirical examination of a cognitive theory of fear of crime that strives to bring contradictory results on the relationship between personal victimization and fear of crime into line. Its main idea is a process of compensation between two cognitions: the perception of personal risk and the perception of the seriousness of the consequences of a potential victimization. If personal victimization leads to an adjustment of exaggerated consequence expectations to a less painful reality – to a decrease of perceived negative impact – this could cancel out the fear-enhancing effects of an increase in perceived victimization risk. If no reassessment of the consequences associated with victimization takes place, personal victimization should generate more fear of crime, mediated only by higher perceived risk. Based on survey data from five successor states of the former Republic of Yugoslavia structural equation models are estimated. The results suggest rejecting many core assumptions of a “theory of psychological incapacitation”.

Victimology – Abuse of Power - A Cultural Crisis

by peggy freeman

VIctimology - Abuse of Power

by peggy freeman

Victimology has been around since the earliest of civilizations, but has not been studied in-depth until the middle of... more Victimology has been around since the earliest of civilizations, but has not been studied in-depth until the middle of the twentieth century. Oppressive socioeconomic, sociocultural and sociopolitical practices by the abuser and their victims have helped create a continuous cycle of victimization. The research, experiments and studies by early social scientists and psychologists have been still used currently to help create international policies, understand the impacts of negative human interactions on the healthy human psyche, and the negative impact of unhealthy people on national and international communities.

An Investigation of the Family Characteristics of Bullies, Victims, and Positively Behaving Adolescents

by Halil Eksi

Fulya CENKSEVEN ÖNDER
Filiz YURTAL
Educational Sciences: Th eory & Practice
8 (3) • September 2008 • 821-832

Th e present study investigated the family characteristics of bullies, victims, and positively
behaving... more Th e present study investigated the family characteristics of bullies, victims, and positively
behaving adolescents. Th e study was conducted in three elementary schools in Adana
central province with students who were attending 6th-7th, and 8th grades. A who is who
form prepared by the researchers was used for the determination of the family characteristics
of the students in the sample. Th e form was completed by 1713 students. A total of
273 students (99 girls, 174 boys) are identified according to the results: 118 bully students,
81 victim students, and 74 positively behaving students. Th e Family Assessment Survey,
developed by Epstein, Baldwin, & Bishop (1983) and translated into Turkish by Bulut
(1990), was used to measure family functions. One way ANOVA and Logistic Regression
Analysis were used for statistical analysis. In conclusion, it is determined that bully and
victim students perceived their families more negative than the other students in terms of
problem solving, communication, aff ective responsiveness, aff ective involvement, behavior
control, and general functioning. All the subscale scores of Family Assessment Survey
were successfully classified 70.3% for bullies and 68.4% for victims. It is determined that
problem solving, communication, and roles subscales of the Family Assessment Survey
have significant support in explaining bullying. Communication, roles and behavior control
subscales have significant support in explaining victimization.

France. D'une victime à l'autre: le problème de la pédophilie de l'affaire Dutroux à l'affaire d'Outreau

by Claude-Olivier Doron

Published in in V. Blanchard, R. Revenin & J-J. Yvorel (dir.), Les jeunes et la sexualité : initiations, interdits, identités (19e-21e siècles), Autrement, Paris, 2010

Cet article revient sur l’émergence de la pédophilie comme problème politique et intolérable absolu. Il décrit les... more Cet article revient sur l’émergence de la pédophilie comme problème politique et intolérable absolu. Il décrit les trois modes de problématisation initiaux de la « pédophilie » : abus sexuels dénoncés par les féministes, exploitation des enfants dans le Tiers-Monde, et crimes et meurtres d’enfants, pour montrer comment ces lignes s’articulent à travers l’affaire Dutroux, construisant la figure de l’enfant-victime absolue. Puis il analyse le soupçon généralisé qui gagne la société française entre l’affaire Dutroux et celle d’Outreau, avant de conclure par cette dernière. Il montre l’effet miroir qui existe entre l’enfant-victime et l’accusé à tort-victime, avant de souligner la nécessité d’arracher les politiques pénales à ce cercle victimaire.

L'enfant des sectes religieuses - Une victime? Quelques précisions s'imposent

by Derocher Lorraine

Les Cahiers de PV - Antenne sur la victimologie

Thème: Victimisation au sein de sectes Thème: Victimisation au sein de sectes

Ethnic Group Differences in Police Notification About Intimate Partner Violence

by Tony Love

Forthcoming: Violence Against Women

Documenting the Armenian Genocide

by Hervé Georgelin

DADRIAN Vahram, To the Desert: Pages from My Diary (Agop HACIKYAN (transl. from Armenian into English) and Ara SARAFIAN (ed. and intro.), (Princeton & London, Gomidas Institute, 2003), and JACOBSEN Maria, Diaries of a Danish Missionary. Harpoot, 1907-1919, (Kristen VIND (transl. from Danish into English) and Ara SARAFIAN (ed. and intro.), Princeton et Londres, Gomidas Institute, 2001 and ATKINSON Tacy, “The German, the Turk and the Devil Made a Triple Alliance”. Harpoot Diaries, 1908-1917. (J. Michael HAGOPIAN (intro.) et Ara SARAFIAN (ed.)), (Princeton & London: Gomidas Institute Books, 2000), in Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies, n° 15, 2005, p. 182-192

L'absence de dénonciation des agressions à caractère sexuel

by R. Enescu

Bulletin Suisse de Criminologie

Victim's Gay Hero and Modern Marvels of Social Change

by Diepiriye Kuku-Siemons

No, gays won’t have to march- there are plenty more ways for heroes to come out to battle. What if lynching had gone... more No, gays won’t have to march- there are plenty more ways for heroes to come out to battle. What if lynching had gone viral? Remember that Dr. King had no iPhone, hence the distance between Montgomery and Atlanta was enormous, but dwarfed by now the Internet (not to mention I-85).

Mjesto i uloga kriminologije i viktimologije u Hrvatskoj i u međunarodnom kontekstu

by Anna-Maria Getoš

The Position and Role of Criminology and Victimology in Croatia and in International Context - published in: LIBER AMICORUM ZVONIMIR ŠEPAROVIĆ: Od kaznenog prava do viktimologije. Zbornik radova u čast 80. rođendana profesora emeritusa Zvonimira Šeparovića

Slightly more than 100 years have passed since the emergence of criminology as an independent scientific discipline.... more Slightly more than 100 years have passed since the emergence of criminology as an independent scientific discipline. Therefore it isn’t surprising that there are currently loads of discussions between numerous ‘hostile streams’ on criminology’s and victimology’s position, role, and subject, as well as their future. These discussions are being dictated predominantly by varying scientific conceptions, although from time to time certain ‘steam’s’ elements of particular and nonscientific interests temporarily resurface in the turbulent sea of arguments. Such tendencies can be found across the globe, as well as in Croatia. Therefore the question about criminology’s and victimology’s current and future position as well as their role worldwide and in Croatia is justified, just as it is justified to question the legitimacy of victimology’s ever-growing attempts to rid itself from criminology’s firm embrace. Serious and systematic academic debate on these issues is almost nonexistent in Croatia. That is why this is merely an attempt to start of such debates, rather than it is the presentation of full-fledged answers, which claim to be correct or even final. In order to analyze criminology’s and victimology’s position and role in Croatia and across the world it is necessary to reach terminological clarification regarding both terms and to briefly sketch their relationship. In doing so, special attention is given to current trends in the study of violence, which from a scientific standpoint reveal that victimology’s potential ‘divorce’ from criminology is simply unfounded. In addition, criminology’s and victimology’s ‘unholy alliance’ with the ‘criminal justice’ segment is being subjected to a critical review, especially in light of victimological streams acting as a generally acceptable shape of revenge, that is otherwise a taboo in modern civilized society. Finally, due to the lack of clear and widely accepted classifications of criminology in the worldwide system of scientific fields, a comparative international analysis of criminology’s institutionalization as an independent academic discipline, enables a solid and empirically founded determination of its actual position. In such context it is necessary to determine and critically review criminology’s current and future position in Croatia.

Trastornos mentales como factor de riesgo de victimización violenta (Mental disorders as a risk factor of violent victimization). A review

by Ismael Loinaz

Behavioral Psychology / Psicología Conductual, Vol. 19, Nº 2, 2011, pp. 421-438

Muchos estudios analizan el riesgo de conducta violenta en personas con trastornos mentales (TM). Sin embargo, su... more Muchos estudios analizan el riesgo de conducta violenta en personas con trastornos mentales (TM). Sin embargo, su riesgo de victimización es un tema al que se ha prestado poca atención. Este sesgo en la investigación contribuye a mantener estereotipos sobre los trastornos mentales y a perpetuar la estigmatización y el aislamiento social de quienes los padecen. Según los estudios analizados, las personas con TM corren un riesgo de victimización violenta significativamente superior al de la población general, especialmente en períodos de sintomatología activa. Este artículo teórico analiza la otra cara de la relación entre trastorno mental y violencia, centrándose en la epidemiología del problema, los factores de riesgo más relevantes (victimización previa, consumo de drogas, exclusión social, comorbilidad/gravedad de los síntomas y trastornos del desarrollo) y algunas formas de victimización frecuentes (suicidio, violencia contra la pareja, violencia sexual, acoso escolar y abuso infantil). Se espera contribuir a una mejor comprensión de los riesgos de victimización en estas personas, lo que puede traducirse en unas estrategias más adecuadas de prevención y de tratamiento.



A great deal of research has been conducted into the risk of violent behavior among people with mental disorders. However, their risk of victimization is a subject that has received little attention. This research bias helps to maintain stereotypes on mental disorders and perpetuate the stigma and social isolation of the people involved. According to the studies reviewed, such people are far more likely to be the victims of violence than the general population, especially during periods when the symptoms are more acute. This theoretical article examines the other side of the relationship between mental disorder and violence, focusing on the epidemiology of the problem, the most significant risk factors (prior victimization, drug abuse, social exclusion, comorbidity/symptom severity and development disorders) and some common forms of victimization (suicide, domestic violence, sexual violence, bullying and child abuse). The aim is to contribute to a better understanding of the risks of victimization in these people, which may lead to more appropriate prevention and treatment strategies.

Ethnic school composition and peer victimization: A focus on the interethnic school climate

by Orhan Agirdag

published in 'International Journal of Intercultural Relations'

Does de facto school segregation have an impact on ethnic minority and majority pupils’ chances of being victimized by... more Does de facto school segregation have an impact on ethnic minority and majority pupils’ chances of being victimized by their peers? Moreover, does the interethnic climate at school mediate the relationship between the ethnic school context and peer victimization? To answer these questions, this article examines the association between the ethnic composition of a school—as measured by the ethnic school concentration and the school's ethnic heterogeneity or diversity—and self-reported peer victimization. Multilevel analyses on data based on a survey of 2845 pupils (aged 10–12) in 68 Flemish primary schools revealed differential effects for natives and non-natives. In line with the imbalance of power thesis, and disconfirming the group threat theory, we find that non-native pupils report less peer victimization in schools with a higher minority concentration—that is, in schools with higher proportions of non-native pupils. Our findings indicate that this relationship is mediated by the interethnic school climate. In contrast, for native pupils, the concentration of ethnic minority students is not associated with peer victimization. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for the literature on interethnic relations and educational policy.

Kriminalsoziologie

by Gerd Kirchhoff