Victimology is the study of victimization, including the psychological effects on victims, the relationship between victims and offenders, the interactions between victims and the criminal. Also today, the word victim is used rather indiscriminately; A person or thing that suffers harm, death, etc, from another or from some adverse act, circumstance, etc:
He claimed he was provoked by the victim. A person who is deceived or cheated: In each case the unsuspecting victim had been invited into cooper's home.
We prefer to describe ourselves as survivors of abuse rather than victims. Victims of tyranny a person who is tricked or swindled; The victim was stabbed repeatedly with a knife. A person who suffers from a destructive or injurious action or agency:
One that is acted on and usually adversely affected by a force or agent the schools are victims of the social system : In both cases, certain victims, heroes, enemies and scapegoats were at the heart of the interpretation. E.g., cancer victims, holocaust victims, accident victims, victims of injustice, hurricane victims, crime victims, and others. A bill aimed at compensating victims of air pollution a service to remember the victims of the terrorist attacks.
Synonyms of victim 1 : Such as a (1) : Usage using the word victim or victims in relation to chronic illness or disability is often considered demeaning and disempowering. The victims of a fraudulent scheme.