The Dynamics of Victims and Victamization

¶ … Victim's Role In Victimization

During a period in American history when increasing violence against police officers and violence committed by police officers is headline news, developing a better understanding of victimization represents a timely and valuable enterprise. To this end, this paper reviews the relevant literature concerning how victims can protect themselves from being the victimized followed by a discussion concerning when and where the rates of victimization are the highest. Finally, an analysis concerning how victim precipitation theory can be applied to the study of victimization is followed by a summary of the research and important findings concerning the victim's role in victimization in the conclusion.

Explanation concerning how victims can protect themselves from being victimized

Unfortunately, the historical record confirms that even in free societies, violence can occur virtually at any time and any place, and people can become victims of these actions without any forewarning. Therefore, it can be enormously difficult for individuals to protect themselves from being victimized unless they recognize the potential and take steps to mitigate this potential (Paradis, 2013). For adults, the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution represents the foundation of protection from being victimized from the perspective of many Americans. For instance, Paradis (2013) reports that so-called "stand your ground laws" have been enacted in various jurisdiction across the country in order to "protect the right of those being victimized to defend themselves by any means available or necessary and to do so without fear of prosecution" (p. 3). For adults who may not want to carry a firearm for personal protection, other personal protection devices such as Tasers and pepper spray are readily available and remaining aware of one's surroundings is always essential (Nowicki, 2009).

In the case of younger people, though, the situation is more complicated because victimization can occur in or outside the schools (Juvonen & Graham, 2009). When victimization occurs in the schools, young victims may feel helpless to protect themselves from bullying or harassment and come to view schools as threatening and dangerous places to the detriment of their academic achievements (Juvonen & Graham, 2009). In many cases, the only protections that are available to young people in these circumstances is to report in-school abuse to an adult authority figure; however, when violence occurs outside the schools, young people may attempt to protect themselves from being victimized by avoiding those activities and locations where they know they will be victimized (Juvonen & Graham, 2009). This strategy, however, can adversely affect young people's socialization and relations with their peers and adults and result in their withdrawal from social activities of any type (Juvonen & Graham, 2009).

Discussion concerning when and where the rates of victimization are the highest

Today, millions of Americans are victimized by violent acts each year. For example, according to a report from Truman (2016), "During 2010, U.S. residents age 12 and older experienced an estimated 18.7 million violent and property crime victimizations" (para. 2). These numbers are particularly disturbing because a majority of these victims were young males aged 12 to 24 who are at the highest risk of being victimized (Rates of victimization, 2016; Victims and victimization, 2016). Moreover, the rate of victimization actually increased by 17% during the period from 2010 to 2011 (Victims and victimization, 2016).

Victimization occurs in both suburban and urban areas, and the majority of these acts (around76%) are property crimes while the rest are violent acts against other people (Rates of victimization, 2016). In addition, females are at greater risk of being victimized compared to their male counterparts and the majority of violent acts against this population are committed by people known to the victims (Rates of victimization, 2016). In addition, there have been some seasonal differences identified in victimization rates according to crime type, with property crimes being more prevalent during the summer months (Lauritsen, 2014). Likewise, aggravated assaults, rapes and sexual assaults are also higher during the summer months, but simple assault rates are higher during the fall (Lauritesen, 2014).

Analysis of the application of victim precipitation theory to the study of victimization

Given the severity of the problem, it is important to understand how victims can actually facilitate violent crimes against them. One such theoretical approach to this issue is victim precipitation theory. According to Siegel (2016), "Victim precipitation theory suggests that criminal violence may be encouraged by the active or passive behavior of the target" (p. 68). In this context, active behaviors can include initiating the violence by striking the first blow or drawing a weapon while passive behaviors can include a clear reluctance to defend oneself from aggression (Warley, 2011).