14.7 Conclusion

Victims and survivors of crime are often overlooked, despite being the target of the criminal event. Victimology re-centres survivors in the study of crime, “pulling back the layers of circumstance while examining in greater detail, the totality of the incident” (Scott, 2016, p. xvi). As demonstrated in this chapter, victimology applies an intersectional lens to better understand how people’s identities and social locations affect the way society responds to victimisation. It is an interdisciplinary field that integrates perspectives from psychology, law, criminology, sociology, and social work to explore the impact of victimisation, theoretical perspectives, victim rights, and the experiences of survivors who interact with the criminal justice system or victim services. We acknowledge the significant progress that has been made in the provision of rights and services for survivors, while also calling attention to the continued forms of re-victimisation survivors experience. We hope for a more compassionate future with equitable access to justice, stronger rights for victims of crime, and widespread application (TVIC principles).