The Ideal Victim

Abstract

It is often useful within the social sciences to rely on personal experiences, or at least take this as our point of departure. So, given the challenge to lecture on the topic “Society and the victim”, I started out with some reflections on my own past history. Had I ever been a victim, and if so, when and how? And I will ask you in this audience to engage in the same exercise. Have you ever been victims? When was that? Where was it? What characterized the situation? How did you react? How did your surroundings react? Maybe I could ask you to scribble down just a few words from your own personal histories as a victim, not for my use, but for your own. Such personal memories might prove valuable during my presentation, and particularly during our later discussions....

Irremedial Work and Act‐Person Merger: Constructing Irredeemable Selves in Death Penalty Trials

“…When the violated are enemy combatants, aggressors, criminals, or members of out‐groups, the violence directed toward them is often deemed justifiable and can even inspire commendation or grisly humor (Cooney ). When the targeted are considered “ideal victims” (Christie ), however, the meaning of such transgressions is dramatically altered. Doing nothing to precipitate their victimization, ideal victims are blameless for what befalls them (Dunn :4).…”

“…Doing nothing to precipitate their victimization, ideal victims are blameless for what befalls them (Dunn :4). At the time of the assault, they are engaged in “respectable projects” (Christie :19) and occupy protected or benign social space. In addition, ideal victims are often considered particularly vulnerable because of purported physical or psychological limitations or because, in the context of a violent encounter, they are outnumbered, out‐armed, outmuscled, or unaware of the perpetrator's presence or intentions.…”

Prisons and Punishment in Texas

“…Th e pain is the same. Christie ( 1996 ) has discussed the construction of victimhood in news reporting, arguing that the legitimacy of claims for victimhood recognition will diff er signifi cantly depending on whether the victim is perceived as 'ideal' or not. Ideal victims tend to be viewed as entirely innocent and in no way deserving of their victimisation, as opposed to non-ideal victim groups such as sex workers who are raped, drunks who are mugged or someone with a criminal record.…”

“…Th e photographic exhibit can thus be interpreted as both a story about ideal victims (the murder victim's family) and non-ideal victims (the executed man's family). As Christie ( 1996 ) might predict, the ways in which people react to the display and the claims of victimhood do indeed vary dramatically:…”

The representation of women and girls of color in United States crime news

“…There is a large body of literature about media representations of white female victims and offenders. White female victims are on top of the “victim hierarchy” because they embody the ideal victim stereotype (Christie, ; Greer, ). The media overrepresent white female victims (Moody, Dorries, & Blackwell, ) and often portray them as innocent, virginal (Greer, ), wealthy (Stillman, ), as living in safe neighborhoods (Slakoff & Brennan, ), and as damsels in distress (Holland, ).…”