Essay on Secondary Victimization from Criminal Justice & Society in India.
Having suffered primary victimization in the form of physical, financial or emotional impact of crime, the crime victim, more often than not is also subjected to secondary victimization from tiresome court proceedings and also the society as a whole. The victim suffers from secondary victimization if his/her human or legal rights are refused by the court due to manipulated evidence put forth by the criminal and the court gives its decision against the victim on the basis of that evidence.
This institutionalised victimisation is more painful for the victim. Even at the investigation and trial stage of the case, the victim may have to suffer secondary victimization at the hands of police and investigation personnel. It is mainly due to procedural processes and procedure of the criminal justice system which shows little concern for the mental torture and suffering of the victim and concentrates more on the prosecution of the offender.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Other agencies which may cause secondary victimization may be hospital procedures, especially in case of victims of rape and sexual offences and the relatives and friends of the deceased in murder cases. The victim is generally refused immediate medical care and treatment until the matter is taken up by the police and they approach the hospital authorities. Obviously the victim’s treatment is delayed for this reason.
The society’s attitude towards the crime victims also accounts for his secondary victimization. Instead of sympathising and helping the victim, his relatives, friends, neighbours etc. may squarely put the entire blame on the victim himself. They attribute victim’s own behaviour to the occurrence of crime, of which he is the victim.
In cases where the victimization is the result of abuse of power, the victim’s sufferings are further aggravated because in such cases, the crime is committed by those who are supposed to be the protector of the victim. The instances are custodial tortures, victims of police atrocities, misuse of power by hospital authorities against patients, custodians of jails, orphanages, rescue homes, reformatories etc.
The shock and sense of loneliness suffered by the victims of such misuse of power shalters his/her personality and makes him not to trust anyone in this world. Another serious consequence that follows in case of a victim where the offender happens to be a state authority is that it is difficult for the victim to prove the guilt of the accused (offender).
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The victims of collective violence in case of communal riots, bomb blast terrorism, religious or racial conflicts etc. not only suffer immediate primary and secondary victimization, but their trauma continues for future having adverse affect on their family and children. This may also result in victim’s displacement leaving them without food, shelter and protection until they are re-settled or suitably rehabilitated.
All these problems are directly related to victimization of crime victims and need to be taken into consideration by victimologists. The criminal justice system should provide remedies and relief to crime victims against violation of their human and fundamental rights.