Have you ever wondered why some people are constantly attacked? Rob, steal things, can even rape or beat? But do not touch others and similar misfortunes bypass them? What is the difference between these types of people at the psychological level and why the first attract maniacs and rapists?
It is possible to determine what victimology is from the name. Science (Logos) of the victims (Viktima). A variation of it is criminological victimology, which studies the behavior of victims of criminals. What is the difference between the behavior of people who consider themselves a victim at the subconscious level? Let's consider in more detail.
History
The development of victimology began even before our era. In the myths of ancient Greece there are references to Orestes. A parable tells of a father who sacrificed a daughter. As a result, she was killed by her mother, and she, in turn, was killed by her son. A similar scheme became the basis of justice of the ancient Greeks and was considered fair for that time. The thinker Anaximander (Dr. Greece, circa 610-547 BC) wrote:
“And the innocent has something to repent of!”
Thus, responsibility for the actions of the offender was attributed to the victim. It was proposed to evaluate their behavior and identify their own mistakes that prompted the offender to action.
There is a saying in Buddhism: "He who does not carry evil in himself will not receive evil." From this, a causal relationship between the victim and the perpetrator is derived. The same will later be considered by criminology.
With the development of culture, victimology acquires clearer postulates and beliefs. Science is developing and the views of scientists on the psychological connection of victims of violent acts and their tormentors are changing. The path of development of victimology is also changing.
The science
What is victimology? There are three basic definitions of this science:
- Auxiliary in criminology. It is studied in the course of criminal law and criminalistics.
- Independent victimology as a science of the psychological characteristics of victims. The subject of its study is not only the victim of a criminal criminal. The study includes individuals who suffer from psychological pressure at home or at work.
- Victimology defines one of the branches of criminology and as a separate science does not exist.
Victimology in Russia
The domestic science of the psychology of the victim began to develop in the 1960s. Its prerequisites were laid with the idea that it is possible to study the motivation of a criminal only using a portrait of the target of his attack. Given the fact that the victim is usually available, unlike the offender who needs to be caught. Therefore, a look at the perpetrator of the crime from the opposite side contributes to its best perception.
The founder of the science of victimology in our country was L.V. Franc. His article on the importance of studying the psychology of the victim, published in 1966, made a fuss and received a lot of positive feedback. Later, Frank will publish a book in which for the first time Soviet society will be revealed in a victimological context. It is interesting that the author sees not only direct participants in illegal actions as victims. The relatives of the victim and those who are considered guilty of the victim fall under this definition. In the 21st century, the notion that such a victimology expanded and captured the world, in addition to its criminal side. They began to study the victim in everyday life.
Purpose of knowledge
The concept and subject of victimology is characterized by the study of the influence of the psychological state of the victim on the attacker. Properties of the victim’s temperament are called victimization. It turns out that the person initially has psychological properties, a predisposition to becoming a victim of a crime. So, for example, victims of fraudsters tend to trust strangers, are poorly versed in life, often greedy or low-income, believe in signs.
Psychology of the victim
Everyone has at least one familiar person with whom something bad is constantly happening. He is haunted by situations of aggression directed at him. It may fall under the car or it is constantly stealing wallets and phones. The internal psychological state that creates all these troubles around him is a subject of the science of victimology.
Psychology factors of the victim
The main categories of victimology that affect the nature of a crime have been identified by scientists relatively recently:
- Killers are attracted by people who are focused on themselves, while not afraid to take risks. They differ in that they do not think about the consequences of their own actions. Often the future victim is familiar with his killer. It is characterized by aggressiveness, conflict, addiction to alcohol or illegal substances.
- The ideal victims of rapists are characterized by: illegibility in acquaintances and internal immaturity as a person. Such people are infantile and have little experience in relations with the opposite sex; they can be either too modest or, on the contrary, attract everyone's attention with shocking tricks.
- Victims of fraudsters are determined by greed and gullibility.
- The domestic aggressor keeps his victim under vigilant influence, parasitizing on her feelings. Suffering from his actions depends financially or physically, he can be any member of the family (wife, mother, child, cohabitant, etc.). As a rule, these are impressionable people with a weak will.
Given that each case of violence is purely individual, psychologists were able to select some features inherent in the emotional state of the victim at the time of the crime.
What is the difference in the psychology of the victim?
What is victimology in a victim-criminal relationship? Why does a person suddenly become a victim of a crime? What behavior leads them to this sad outcome? Victimology in the behavior of the victim identifies common features:
- Self-esteem. A man does not love himself so much that it manifests itself even externally. Identifying such a person in a crowd is easy. Homely, shabby clothes, unkempt look, dull look.
- The desire to merge with the gray mass. The desire to be like everyone else and not stand out from the crowd is inherent in most natives of the Soviet Union, where mass and herd feelings were encouraged. As a rule, such people are scared to be special, to attract attention. The criminal feels this and easily identifies such a person in the crowd.
- Not the ability to think and live without relying on an outside opinion. This is typical of the majority, we are used to focus on what people say. It is easy for such persons to impose any opinion and subjugate themselves. These are chosen by aggressors who use drugs and alcohol.
- Fear. Characteristic of domestic violence. Fear of loneliness, publicity, shame and much more. Fear makes a person endure and get used to violence. The vast majority of typical victims consider fear in their lives to be the norm.
Moreover, the ideal victim likes to be in this state all the time. It is very difficult to convey to a person that such a perception of reality is harmful, and sometimes dangerous.
Victim complex
Its appearance is influenced by experiences of events that form a negative psychological perception of the world. These can be critical situations, problems in personal life, world disasters, disasters, losses and traumatic events. These are situations in which the victim reveals himself:
- Crime. Different types of crimes and attempted crimes, terrorist attacks.
- Violence. Both domestic and sexual.
- Abuse or additive behavior. Different types of dependencies, submission to the influence of cults and groups.
Helplessness
In this state, a person is constantly. The eternal sacrifice is characterized by the opinion that nothing depends on her in life, she cannot independently solve problems. The psychologist M. Seligman defined the concept of learned helplessness. The acquisition of such a state occurs at the time of the implementation of events on which a person is not able to influence independently. The victim believes that she is not able to correct events, that everything that happens to her is an accident or a conduct. His life does not depend on him. Moreover, a person can get such a state into his “piggy bank of feelings” from others. If the society in which he is surrounded has the same views, the victim is easily amenable to them. Negative to exit the state of the victim is the promotion, the victim ceases to compete and loses initiative.
What to do?
How to get out of the state of the victim? Or is it forever? It must be understood that the solution is possible in most cases only under the supervision of a specialist. The process can be painful, may be accompanied by inappropriate behavior and aggression. The specialist will support you at a critical moment and direct your emotions in the right direction. The psychologist’s task is to return faith in one’s own strength to the patient, to make it clear that he is responsible for his own life. Without support and an objective outside look at the situation, it is difficult for a person with victim syndrome to cope.
Stages of changing the victim's consciousness
The way out of the victim’s state is divided into several stages:
- Recognition of the problem and awareness of those moments in life that lead to unpleasant situations. This is the most difficult point, since a person who is accustomed to feeling like a victim gets used to this state so much that it does not seem possible to behave in a radically different way. Victims of physical violence need to consult a psychologist who specializes in such patients. First of all, they need to survive the tragedy, and to do it on their own in this case is not realistic.
- Drop the habit of complaining. For many of our fellow citizens, this condition is constant and is considered normal. Complaints against the government, superiors, doctors, sellers in stores, neighbors and relatives - all this is considered the norm of everyday life. And this is a huge mistake that has a detrimental effect on the subconscious. If resentments are stuck in the head, but a person understands that you need to get rid of them immediately, then the help of a psychologist will help to cope with the situation. The rest need to abandon the state of helplessness, take their lives in their own hands and deal with problems, if any. And if not, do not take rudeness and rudeness at your own expense, do not cling to the words and actions of strangers. A lot of vital energy is spent on grievances and complaints. Stopping this bad habit you will feel a surge of strength and stop attracting situations that provoke criminals to act in relation to you.
- Love yourself. If a person exudes love, then the world around him reflects this feeling and returns him much more in response. Your attitude to yourself should be based on respect, because you, like no one else, know that you are worthy of emotional and physical care. Love yourself even when things go wrong and the mood is at zero. Respect your choice, even if it turned out to be wrong and brought failure. Taking responsibility for one's own body and soul removes the seal of sacrifice from a person. He ceases to demand from other people that he himself is able to provide better and fuller.
- Positive thinking. It draws good events into life. Do not cling to troubles, learn to learn a lesson from them and continue to live on. A person filled with positive energy changes the energy space around him. Pleasant and energetic opponents cause trouble for criminals, as for the most part destructive and eating negative emotions of others. Self-sufficient and favorable personalities do not catch their eye.
- Psychologist. First of all, a specialist is needed for those who have undergone some form of physical abuse. Secondly, those who have deep grievances towards relatives (as a rule, these are parents). The influence of these grievances can be traced throughout life and a person may not even understand that the root of most problems is in relation to oneself.
Finally
The victims of criminals more often than others are teenagers and pensioners. It is these categories of citizens who are inclined to consider themselves incapable of defending themselves, psychologically attracting the criminal to themselves. To prevent the commission of crimes, victimologists have developed a number of measures aimed at increasing the level of protection for people who may be victims of violence:
- Carrying out game scenarios victim-criminal.
- Informing citizens about possible crimes and places where they can occur.
- Security (patrols, rescue services, helplines).
- Countering conflict situations leading to the commission of a crime.
All these measures are carried out individually. The task of every citizen is to pay attention to children and the elderly, other weak sections of the population, and to prevent crime as far as possible.