Victims of Crime Flashcards
What are the demographic characteristics of crime victims?
Urban slightly higher than rural
What do victims fear in crime?
Those at highest risk are not necessarily those who experience the grestest fear of crimes:
> elderly women report highest fear
> young males report least fear
Fear being outside at night
Manage by increasing safety factors and going out in groups
This constant attentio to signs of danger can further icrease fear
What is the historical view of victims?
Until recently, victims have had very few rights in the criminal justice system
Previously the victim was blamed.
What is blaming the victim and secondary victimisation?
Fundemental Attribution Error: Underestimate the impact of the situation and overestimate the impact of the personal disposition.
We blame the vicitm due to Just- World hypothesis - we need to belive that the world is fair and people get what they deserve.
Secondary victimisation: the victimisation during the trail period etc
> media
> uncertainty of their role in the justice process
> trials delay the result and have frequent travel etc
What are the psychological effects of victimisation?
STockholme Syndrome: paradoxical phenonmenon where hostages exibit empathy and positive regard towards their captures
Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and PTSD:
26% of women whose trauma was crime related developed PTSD; only 9% for non crime related
What is psychological help for victims?
Foa et al. 4 session prevention course
> educate that their responses are normal
training to cope with stress
emotionally relieving to diffuse the trauma
cognitive restructuring
Victim vs Survivor
What are the concerns of crime victims which must be addressed?
- Compensation of the crim victims
- Participation in criminal proceedings - secondary victimisation
- legislative changes protecting victim’s rights
- reconciling victims and offenders
