The Evolution of Victimology: From Research to International Collaboration

1. The 11th Asian Postgraduate Courseon Victimology and Victim Assistance History of Victimology By Gerd Ferdinand Kirchhoff

2. In the sixties of last century, Israel Drapkin – medical doctor and historian from Chile living in Israel - traveled the world, from one university institute to another, in America, Asia and in Europe, and asked: • What research do you do in victimology • What would be your contribution to an international conference on victims? • 1973 1st International Symposium on Victimology, in Jerusalem • 1976 2nd International Symposium on Victimology in Boston, USA • Stephan Schafer Chair of Criminology • Regina Ryan • 1979 3rd International Symposium on Victimology in Muenster, Germany. Foundation of the WSV. Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

3. Look at the first Executive Committee • 4 law professors with a specialization in criminal law/ criminology • 2 psychology professors with a specialization in treatment and community organization • 1 sociologist • Today • 2 directors of special Institutes (Jp, Nl) • 2 professors of victimology (both Tokiwa University) • 2 Police (Victim Commissioner, Police Academy Director) • 6 professors of Law (South America, Japan, Australia, China, Indonesia) • 2 psychologist (Dean of Criminology (South Africa) and 1 psychotraumatologist • 1 lawyer/victim assistance activist leader (Mexico) Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

4. Interest driven ….. • Big split in the leadership of WSV • One group wanted WSV to promote victimology as a social science • One group wanted to promote victimology as a part of criminology • One group wanted WSV to become an international vehicle for victim assistance • Really not very much happened in theoretical victimology and a lot happened in victim assistance Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

5. 1973-2012 • 1983 The WSV EC discussed the document that later became the UN Declaration • 1984 First Postgraduate Course • Dubrovnik 27, Mito,10, South Africa 3, San Salvador 2, USA 1 • In these courses the teaching is developed • Look at the history of the symposiums! • Israel, USA, Germany, Japan, Yugoslavia, Israel, Brazil, Australia, Netherlands, Canada, South Africa, USA, Japan, Netherlands Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

6. World Society of Victimology • 1985 WSV Hans von Hentig - Award to Marlene Young • bridge between victimology and victim assistance, especially demanded by the influential American EC members • difficult to maintain a separation between victim assistance and victimology • in victimology, victim assistance is included • consequences • sympathy between practitioners and scientists Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

7. 1985 UN Declaration • 1. Two years international discussion of victim in the criminal justice system streamlines the international discussion • 2. Zagreb Symposium prepares the position of the block-free and the communist countries for a success in the UN deliberations and consolidates the position of the Western countries together with Non Aligned countries. • 3. UN Congress 1985 in Milan culminates in an UN Declaration Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

8. Elections to the EC show a growing influence of victim assistance activists to move the cause internationally • Very skilled leadership in USA, UK and Mexico, Argentina • Peak of influence of activists in 2006 • Motto of the Symposium “Enhancing the Mission” 2006 Orlando Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

9. Institutes of Victimology • Institutes of Victimology • (1968 - 1992 Koichi Miyazawa’s institute in Keio, Tokyo, Japan) • Bellagio Institute 1975 (Emilio Viano) • 1998 Sarajevo Institute (WSV and University of Sarajevo, dormant) • 2003 Tokiwa University (Hidemichi Morosawa, John Dussich) • 2004 Intervict in University of Tilburg (Groenhuijzen, van Dijck, Winkel) • Jakarta 2005, Spain ... Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

10. The “home faculty” • Problem of finding a “home faculty” for a study that draws from sociology, psychology, medicine, social work, political science, criminology and law, especially criminal law and criminal procedure. • Integrating knowledge from so many faculties, the field has no own single unifying theory • This is a reason that it is often not regarded as a science - but it behaves like a science. • and it is more and more accepted as such. • Social Reconstruction of Reality Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

11. Recognition of a problem • We can interpret this as a kind of “recognition” • Insights from the “Sociology of Social Movements” • The concern • The publics and “their” problem • Getting heard: The creation of the social problem Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

12. Reactions of the host society • The different ways of the host society to react • indifferent • rejecting • Incorporating, embracing • Politicians take notice and take positions Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

13. Recognition • This recognition is facilitated: • only if there is enough disquieting noise and unrest, the stakeholders of the traditional way of thinking (or the existing social order) will listen and finally politicians will react. • “Maus and the circles” • Outer circle of sympathizers • Inner circle of supporters • Center of leaders of the movement • Recognizing reactions are applauded by the outer circle and often by the inner circle as well. • When is the problem solved? Dangerous moment: Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

14. Official recognition is a dangerous moment for a social movement: • sympathizers start to leave the movement. • The social auditorium believes that the problem is solved • The “true believers” continue to fight for more improvements • Inside the movement, a cleaning process is tried Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

15. The Themes in 2009 • 1. Theory on Victimology and Human Security • 2. A Victim Convention in the light of International Instruments and national Norms • 3. The Work of the UNHCR and victims of Abuse of Power, refugee Victims and Displaced Persons • 4. The Development of Victim Issues in the National Justice Systems, especially in Asia • 5. Responses to Disaster Victimization • 6. Psycho – traumatological and Psychological Interventions, building a network and coordination of victim specialized interveners (professionals and volunteers) Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

16. Victimology and Human Security • 7. Victimization of Indigenous People and other marginalized groups • 8. Special Victimizations: Victims of Family Violence, Torture, Terrorist Attacks, Consumer Fraud and Cyber Victims Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

17. Till now I have introduced into victimology and I have tried to give you an idea where the field stands today. • In the following I will more formally describe victimology in a more theoretical framework. Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

18. History of Victimology starts when scientists look at victims abstractly and when they try to develop a theory that explains victimization. • The Example “Job” • The example “Beccaria” (1738-1794) • 1764 • The Example “von Hentig” • Schafer (Functional Responsibility 1967) • Wolfgang 1958 (Victim Precipitation) Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

19. Ben David (2000): Victim’s Victimology • Post-Graduate Courses on Victimology, Victim Assistance and Criminal Justice since 1984 • Restorative Justice • Transitional Justice • Trauma and Psycho-Traumatology (since 1990)( Winkel 2007) Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff

20. Mainstream victimologists can be found under an invisible umbrella who is centered in the UN Crime Commission and it Vienna Crime Center. • Traditional reasons • UNHC HR • UNHC R • ILO • IOM • Victimologists must not take over social constructions of the ruling groups too long neglected: examples “Domestic Violence” “Exploitation by human traffickers” “Man” as victims Victims of modern forms of slavery Victims of poor social planning, poor preparations and rescue work for disasters Jakarta 2011 - Prof. Dr. Kirchhoff