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

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Victimhood seems to work better if vulnerability can be attributed to the victim. In today’s social and legal terms, the notion of vulnerability is being used in symbolic, extensive, hierarchical and patronising ways. For example, under the European Union Directive 2012/29 on the rights of victims, apart from minors who are considered per se victims, anyone could qualify to be considered “vulnerable” under the criteria of the severity of the crime, the kind of victim-offender relationship, the place where the crime has been committed, or the socio-demographic profile of the victimssss1. However, once again, the law in the text contrasts with the real experiences of victims, particularly the unseen ones, who when approaching the criminal justice system in search of protection and justice usually end up experiencing secondary victimisation (Fundamental Rights Agency, 2019). Besides, the notion of vulnerability, as employed today in the social and legal arena, tends to forget social issues. Social vulnerability expresses having been placed in a situation where the rights of some collectivities, some already disadvantaged, might be violated. It is not only about applying criminological theories of rational choice or opportunity theories. The core of the matter lies in embracing paradigms focused on political, economic, social and cultural aspects, as critical and radical victimologies suggest. In this regard, Fattah (2019) talks about “cultural victims”, victims considered “appropriate” and others whose victimisation is promoted, discarded or not condemned within the culture of the majority.