Читать книгу Approaching Victimology as social science for Human rights a Spanish perspective онлайн

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Arenal (1820–1893) was one of the first Spanish women to study law and a pioneer feminist (Pérez Montero, 2021). Her father died in prison, where he was sent by King Ferdinand VII. Concepción Arenal was later appointed as a prison visitor. Her humanism was projected towards so-called “criminals” and “victims” when denouncing unjust structures causing victimisation.

Image 5: The contribution of critical Victimology

The scientific and social contribution of Victimology towards awareness of victimisation and de-victimisation is done by means of critical reflection on very diverse victimological (quantitative and qualitative) data to draw up proposals for new paradigms and policies to improve social justice and victims’ rights. For a critical Victimology this is done through being aware of the risks of falling into essentialist (victims are mainly or just victims), antagonist (victimisers are victims’ enemies or have nothing to do with them), therapeutic/pathological (victims only or mainly need treatment) or paternalistic views (victims do not know what they want). This last perspective is related to many victims’ uneasiness with the term “victim” and their preference to be called “survivors” or “victimised/harmed persons”. According to Van Dijk (2009, p. 1) the victim label, “although eliciting compassion for victims, assigns to them a social role of passivity and forgiveness that they may increasingly find to be restraining”.