VICTIMOLOGY

Description and contextualization of the course:

Victimology is an empirical and interdisciplinary social science studying victimization and recovery processes as complex dynamics. The complexity affects diversity of experiences throughout time. There are multiple, visible and hidden, factors and contexts affecting those processes. This young discipline is conceived here as part of Criminology, although some of its knowledge can be applied to other traumatic events beyond crime.

This course on Victimology contributes to the objectives of the degree in Criminology because it helps in training students to understand, apply, analyze and evaluate criminological knowledge from the standpoint of human rights, particularly for people placed in vulnerable social contexts. The final purpose of Victimology is to prevent, minimize and repair the impact of victimization, including secondary victimization.

The methodology used during this course will allow students to identify relevant information on Victimology, in different areas and scales, and transform it into knowledge to be applied in the thinking about concrete study cases where the students will have to organize quantitative and qualitative data and arrange it by systematic planning in order to get to debatable conclusions. This competence is integrated in the overall purpose of the degree in Criminology and it will be improved throughout different courses, mostly with a psychological dimension, in the course about treatment of victims in the following year. Our introductory course will map the general topics of interest in Victimology and it will underline the gaps between victim law and its practice.

Competences/Results of the learning process of this course:

Among the general and transversal competences of the degree of Criminology we can find the understanding of the basic terms and concepts in relation to the criminality and victimization and recovery processes. Moreover students have to be able to apply that knowledge to value different options in responding to different victims, finding the resources to do that and defending their positions and proposals informed by evidence. This course is part of a broad dynamic of on-going and autonomous learning. Among the specific competences of the degree we can highlight the integration of interdisciplinary knowledge by employing social science methodologies (including the use of recent technologies) which are particular relevant in evaluating victim policies. Team work will be promoted and debated by fostering effective oral and written communication skills, a fundamental aspect in nowadays exchange of ideas about Victimology.

At least eight results are expected of this course:

1) To understand the contribution of Victimology within social sciences, from a perspective of inter-professional and transversal education.

2) To understand the different experiences of victimization, the problems related to hidden victimization, the theories that try to explain them and the standards of victimization prevention and treatment.

3) To be able to identify problems and tentative responses of social and professional interests by using victimological concepts and knowledge.

4) To relate in an inter-disciplinary way the basic set of concepts on different kinds of victimization and recovery.

5) To find and use adequate literature references as guide for deeper studies.

6) To set hypotheses about future research and be able to contrast them with empirical data.

7) To understand the complexity of the victimization and recovery processes and their social and legal meaning through the study of the implementation of the legislation in force and its limitations.

8) To elaborate own documents or presentations in this field.

CONTENTS (THEORY AND PRACTICE):

I. THE SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION OF VICTIMOLOGY AND ITS EVOLUTION

II. VICTIMS: FROM THEIR TYPOLOGY TO ITS DYNAMIC CONCEPTUALIZATION

III. PUBLIC POLICIES FOR VICTIMS: ACTIVISM AND THE MEDIA

IV. VICTIMIZATION AND RECOVERY PROCESSES

V. INTERNATIONAL LEGAL STANDARDS AS RESPONSE TO VICTIMIZATION

VI. SPANISH LEGISLATION ABOUT VICTIMS AND ITS EVALUATION

VII. VICTIMS OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMES AND ABUSE OF POWER

VIII. TERRORIST VICTIMIZATION

IX. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

X. VIOLENT VICTIMIZATION: MURDERS, AGGRESSIONS, IN PARTICULAR ROAD TRAFFIC CRIMES AND AGAINST WORKERS’ SAFETY

XI. VICTIMIZATION AND SEXUAL FREEDOM

XII. HUMAN TRAFFICKING

XIII. OTHER VIOLENT CRIMES: HATE CRIMES, WORK HARRASSMENT AND BULLYING

XIV. CYBER VICTIMIZATION

XV. VICTIMS OF CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY AND VICTIM PREVENTION

XVI. HIDDEN VICTIMIZATION AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION: HOMELESS PERSONS

XVII. INNOVATIVE INCLUSIVE FORMS OF JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS

FINAL RECAP

Methodology:

The thread that runs through the entire course is the thinking about victimization and recovery: their meanings for the different stakeholders and their diverse modalities. Throughout seventeen lessons, we try to approach key terms to understand the critical issues in relation to the concepts of victims, victimhood, victimization risk, impact, reparation and recovery, in different crimes and for diverse populations. Thus we arrive at the concept of restorative justice to argue whether it is possible to construct a more inclusive justice system for victims whereas the inertias of the classic criminal justice system seem to overview the rights and demands of multiple people who have experienced victimization.Finally, victimization processes can only be understood in relation to broader social control processes.

Every lesson follows identical structure: an introduction, a list of key concepts, readings with questions for debate, practical exercises and a final self-evaluation test.

This learning proposal tries to promote the integration of knowledge where the student is the main actor. Beyond a mere transfer of data, we offer basic concepts as keys or guide to enter into the complexities of Victimology in order to open perspectives in a critical way. Thus we propose some strategies to learn to look, to see, to observe, to think and to talk about victim experiences and legislation. More readings will be suggested in the student guide to open an internal and external dialogue of ideas in the controversial topics of Victimology.

Cooperative and active methodologies will be employed by working in concrete projects and with a solution focus orientation to be debated in class.

Ethical considerations are important during this course. We can count with students who have suffered a crime. Active listening and providing support information are central aspects of the course. Besides learning will entail avoiding secondary victimization when working with victims.

• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 50
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 20
  • Individual works (%): 10
  • Exhibition of works, readings ... (%): 20

Ordinary exam: basic information and renouncement:

This course has a mixed evaluation system. Continuous evaluation or assessment will provide 75% of the final mark. In order to consider this continuous evaluation 80% of all proposed team assignments and all individual assignments should have been turned in respecting delivery deadlines. Students will find more instructions about these works in the student guide.

A final test will count 25% of the overall grade. Those students who have obtained 70% in their continuous evaluation can opt between this test and the presentation of a team work assignment.

Those students who want to renounce to this ordinary exam must revise the general norms established by University on this matter.

If lectures and evaluation are transformed to be online, oral evaluations will be offered to students.

In addition, if any student has techical problems during the evaluation, he/she will be entitled to an oral exam.

Extraordinary exam: basic information and renouncement:

Students will have to pass an evaluation of an individual written and oral presentation described in the student guide.

Those students who want to renounce to this extraordinary exam must revise the general norms established by University on this matter.

Mandatory materials:
The Directive 2012/29/EU establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime , the Spanish Statute of Victims of Crime Act and related legislation and norms in relation to international standards on human rights in victim policy, most of them accessible online.

Basic bibliography

References (note: the following are just examples of texts that can be used in some lessons. Through the student guide, basic readings and further resources will be provided to students for every lesson so that students can construct their own Victimology digital library considering copyright laws):

Elias, Robert. 1986. The Politics of Victimization:Victims,Victimology, and Human Rights. New York: Oxford University.

Fattah, Ezzat A. 1991. Understanding Criminal Victimization. Scarborough: Ontario.

Feyter,K. De et al,eds. Out of the ashes. Reparation for victimsof gross and systematic human rights violations. Antwerpen: lntersentia.

Karmen, Andrew. 2013. Crime victims: An introduction to victimology. Cengage Learning (online).

Spencer, Dale C. y Sandra Walklate, eds. 2016. Reconceptualizing critical Victimology. Interventions and possibilities. New York: Lexington.

JOURNALS:

Revista deVictimología/Journal of Victimology

Eguzkilore (Cuadernos del Instituto Vasco de Criminología)

International Review of Victimology

In-depth bibliography

-Armenta Deu, Teresa. 2010. Víctima menor de edad. Un estudio comparado Europa-América. Madrid: Constitución y Leyes.
-Bustos Ramírez, Juan y Elena Larrauri Pijoan. 1993. Victimología: Presente y futuro. Hacia un sistema penal de alternativas. Barcelona: PPU.
-Díez Ripollés, J. L. y E. García España, dirs. 2009. Encuesta a víctimas en España. Málaga: Instituto Andaluz Interuniversitario de Criminología.
-Drapkin, Israel. 1980. El derecho de las víctimas, Anuario de Derecho Penal y Ciencias Criminales mayo-agosto: 367-386.
-Echeburúa, Enrique y Paz de Corral. 2009. ¿Por qué las víctimas no reaccionan de la misma manera ante un mismo suceso traumático? Factores de protección y factores de vulnerabilidad. En El sufrimiento de la víctima: Psiquiatría y ley. 4.ª Jornadas Jurídico-Psiquiátricas, Córdoba, 3 y 4 de octubre de 2008, editado por A. Medina et al. Madrid: Triacastela.
-Echeburúa, Enrique y Santiago Redondo. 2010. ¿Por qué víctima es femenino y agresor masculino? La violencia contra la pareja y las agresiones sexuales. Madrid: Pirámide.
-Elias, Robert. 1986. The Politics of Victimization: Victims, Victimology, and Human Rights. Nueva York: Oxford University.
-Fattah, Ezzat A. 1991. Understanding Criminal Victimization. Scarborough: Ontario.
-Feyter, K. De et al, eds. Out of the ashes. Reparation for victims of gross and systematic human rights violations. Amberes: Intersentia.
-García España, Elisa, Fátima Pérez Jiménez y M.ª José Benítez Jiménez. 2006. La delincuencia según las víctimas: Un enfoque integrado a partir de una encuesta de victimización. Málaga: Instituto Andaluz Interuniversitario de Criminología y Fundación El Monte.
-González González, Juan Pablo, dir. 2007. Panorama actual y perspectivas de la Victimología: La Victimología y el sistema penal. Madrid: Consejo General del Poder Judicial.
-Herrero Herrero, César. 2011. Fenomenología criminal y Criminología comparada. Madrid: Dykinson.

Journals

-Revista de Derecho Penal y Criminología
-International Review of Victimology

Web addresses

OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES:
-http://www.sociedadvascavictlmologia.org
-http://ruljis.leidenuniv.nl/group/jfcr/www/icvs/
-http:/ www.euforumrj.org
-http://www.csjr.org/
-http://www.victimology.nl
-http://www.world-society-victimology.de
-http://www.tokiwa.ac.jp/~tivi/english
-http://ec.europa.eu/justice/criminallvictlmsl