Victim

The term victim refers to a person who has suffered harm, loss, or injury as a result of an act by another person, an accident, a disaster, or a harmful condition. Harm can be physical, psychological, financial, or social in nature. In criminal justice and civil law, a victim is the party harmed by wrongdoing. The word derives from the Latin victima, meaning a sacrificial animal or person.

Victims arise in many settings, including crime (theft, assault, homicide), accidents (vehicle crashes), disasters (fires, floods), and abuse (domestic violence, child abuse). Subcategories include crime victims, domestic-violence victims, and victims of fraud or cybercrime. Some legal and social provisions distinguish the victim from the offender, and from bystanders who did not suffer direct harm.

In many jurisdictions, victims have specific rights and protections. These can include information about proceedings, the ability to be heard through victim impact statements, protection from intimidation, restitution or compensation, and access to support services. Law enforcement and advocacy organizations may coordinate crisis intervention, counseling, and forensic or medical care.

Victimization can have lasting psychological effects, including stress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The concept of victim-blaming and secondary victimization highlights social harms that can accompany the initial harm. Recovery often involves counseling, social support, and resources from victim services or non-governmental organizations.

Some people prefer to use survivor as an alternative term to emphasize resilience after harm. Terminology varies by culture and within legal frameworks, but in many contexts both terms describe someone who has endured harm and seeks or receives support and justice.