Victimology in India: Need for VictimOriented Laws

The formulation of laws and legislations in a society is paramount to promote peace and harmony and to shield individuals from becoming victims to the crime. The term ‘victim’ is wide enough to encompass the immediate kin or dependants of the direct victims of the crime and persons who have suffered harm or injury while assisting the victims in distress or to prevent victimization. A victim plays a crucial role in an offence and is an important component of the crime scene. Victimology is a part of criminology and is an emerging science that studies the crime from the perspective of the victim. For many decades the criminal justice systems around the world have overlooked and failed to notice the importance of victims in an offence. Many countries have realised the need to extend assistance and services to the victims of crime thereby a paradigm shift has emerged in their way of dealing with the victims, however, under the Indian criminal justice system, victims of crime have no inherent prerogative and are treated as mere witnesses for prosecuting and punishing the offenders. Compensating and compounding the victims are only considered as justice, apart from protecting them and their property from any harm. Though the system along with the judges has played a key role in the expansion of victim’s rights in our country, yet due weightage and importance are not heeded to them. Major changes and advancement focusing on the victim’s rights needs to be introduced in our justice system