Understanding Victimology

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Crime knows no caste, gender, religion, ethnic group, age, rich and/or poor. Any individual in the society may be the victim of crime. It is settled in the criminological discourse that the society without crime could not be imagined. More or less, in every society, crimes exist. Therefore, it is to set up appropriate mechanisms to control and combat such anti-social activities so that social protection could be assured. Victimization is an asymmetrical relationship that is abusive, parasitical, destructive, unfair, and illegal. Offenders harm their victims physically, financially, and emotionally. 
The concept of a “victim” can be traced back to ancient societies. It was connected to the notion of sacrifice. In the original meaning of the term, a victim was a person or an animal put to death during a religious ceremony in order to appease some supernatural power or deity. Over the centuries, the word has picked up additional meanings. Now it commonly refers to individuals who suffer injuries, losses, or hardships for any reason. People can become victims of accidents, natural disasters, diseases, or social problems such as warfare, discrimination, political, witch hunts, and other injustices. Crime victims are harmed by illegal acts. Many types of victimization have been outlawed over the centuries specific oppressive and exploitative acts, like raping, robbing, and swindling.
Victimization is an asymmetrical interpersonal relationship that is abusive, painful, destructive, parasitical, and unfair. It is the scientific study of the physical, emotional, and financial harm people suffer because of illegal activities. It is the study of victimization, including the relationships between victims and offenders, the interactions between victims and the criminal justice system that is, the police and courts, and corrections officials and the connections between victims and other social groups and institutions, such as the media, businesses, and social movements. 
But not all types of hurtful relationships and deceitful practices are forbidden by law. It is permissible to overcharge a customer for an item that can be purchased for less elsewhere; or to underpay a worker who could receive higher wages for the same tasks at another place of employment; or impose exorbitant interest rates and hidden fees on borrowers who take out mortgages and use credit cards; or to deny food and shelter to the hungry and the homeless who cannot pay the required amount.

Victimology is however not restricted to the study of victims of crime alone but may include other forms of human rights violations. Victimology in its most simple form is the study of the victim or victims of a particular offender. It is defined as “the through study and analysis of victim characteristics” (Turvey), and may also be called “victim profiling” (Holmes). The reason a good victimology is important is that the victim constitutes roughly half of the criminal offence, and as such, is as much a part of the crime as the crime scene, weapons, and eyewitnesses. This is especially true when we are presented with a live victim, as this was the last person to witness the crime, and may be able to provide the best behavioral and physical description of the offender..
In criminology and criminal law, a victim of a crime is an identifiable person who has been harmed individually and directly by the perpetrator, rather than by society as a whole. However, this may not always be the case, as with victims of white collar crime, who may not be clearly identifiable or directly linked to crime against a particular individual. Victims of white collar crime are often denied their status as victims by the social construction of the concept (Croall, 2001).
Some major definitions are given below:
Schultz (1970) says, “Victimology is the study of the degree of and type of participation of the victim in the genesis or development of the offences and an evaluation of what is just and proper for the victim’s welfare”.
Drapkin and Viano (1974), “Victimology is the branch of criminology which primarily studies the victims of crime and everything that is connected with such are victim”.
In a broader perspective Antilla (1975), “Victimology studies by logical, sociological, psychological and criminological aspects about the victims and brings into focus the victim-offender relationship and the role played by the victim in occurrence of the offence”.
In extended sense Separovic (1975), “Victimology is the entire body of knowledge regarding victims, victimization and to preserver the rights of victim; thus it is composed of knowledge drawn from such fields Asiminology, Safety, Law, Medicine, Psychology, Social Work, Education and Public Administration”.
Shinder (1982), “...it investigates the relationship between offender and victim in crime causation. It deals with the process of victimization, of becoming a victim, and in this context directs much of its attention to the problem victim-offender, sequence, i.e. the question of whether or not victimization can have crimogenic effects or can encourage crime”.
Acharya (2051), “Victimology looks at the crime from victim point of view”.
Shrestha (2062), “Victimology is talk and the subject of victim rights to assistance”

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