A significant amount of crime committed is identified as consisting of family or acquaintance crime and interpersonal crime. Most of the time, the victim and offender have a sort of relationship that has been used as a variable in determining violent cases in the CJS. Victims of crime are normally seen to have played a role in the commission of the criminal act. Homicides are events where the killing of one person is done by another. In homicides, just as in other crimes, victims play a role in their demise unless an accident is involved or the victim was an innocent bystander killed in place of another intended victim.
Victim precipitated homicide is an example of how the victim-offender relationship affects the commission of a crime. Murders in which the victim is a direct and positive precipitator of the incident are referred to as victim precipitated homicides ( Muftić & Hunt, 2013 ). In violent cases such as homicides, the victims-offender relationship is explored to shed light on the phenomena. Victims may precipitate their demise even by indulging in the slightest provocation ( Muftić & Hunt, 2013 ). Victims can provoke offenders either physically, verbally, or emotionally. This occurs especially when dealing with a vain attacker who might overreact to the victim’s provocation to find it sufficient or their attack, thus resulting in their death.
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Research shows that male victims are more likely to precipitate assaults as compared to female victims. Female victims often suffer more injuries, especially at the hands of male perpetrators, although the gender difference does not seem to depend on the victim’s relationship with the offender in victim precipitated homicides ( McQuade, 2014 ). Most homicides that occur are not planned. They happen due to numerous aspects, such as anger and aggression, which facilitate individuals to take part in risky behavior ( Abdu et a l., 2012 ). These behaviors may result in homicides or the commission of other violent crimes.
As such, situational rage and/or accumulated rage both play a role in victim precipitated homicides. Situational rage deals with the anger that develops over an event, incident situation ( Abdu et a l., 2012 ). This type of anger might be responsible for many homicides, including victim precipitated ones. On the other hand, accumulated rage deals with rage that an individual feels over time, but instead of dealing with it, they choose to suppress and block it. Such anger is very dangerous as, over time, it may become difficult to keep it in check. In both situational rage and accumulated rage, people want to have control and power over others, thus creating an imbalance that results in devastating effects.
Suppose a wife walks in on her husband and mistress; this situation is quite stressful and may hinder her ability to think clearly. If she strikes either of them in rage, and they end up dying, she is liable for homicide. Thus, this shows how victim precipitated homicides are related to situational rage. On the other hand, accumulated rage can be connected to victim precipitated rage as the offender may have built up rage directed to the victim. When the victim provokes them, they will likely succumb to the feeling of rage and might deliver a lethal assault on the victim, thus resulting in their death. An example would be when a couple is fighting; then the aggrieved party hits their partner with a blunt object on the head, leading to their death.
In many violent crime scenarios, victims and offenders are connected. Victims play a significant role in the offender’s criminal acts as they may provoke them. In such instances, crimes are said to have been precipitated by victims. Homicides, where victims provoke their attackers, are common. In most cases, anger plays a significant role in the killing of the victims. Both situational and accumulated rage influence victim precipitated homicides. The situation in which a victim is found may trigger their demise by provoking the perpetrator. Additionally, an attacker’s suppressed anger towards their victim will cause them to strike once provoked by the victim, thus resulting in their demise.
References
Abdu, R., Shinar, D., & Meiran, N. (2012). Situational (state) anger and driving. Transportation research part F: traffic psychology and behaviour , 15 (5), 575-580. https://sci-hub.do/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2012.05.007
McQuade, K., M. (2014). Victim–offender relationship. The encyclopedia of criminology and criminal justice , 1-5. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/9781118517383.wbeccj131
Muftić, L. R., & Hunt, D. E. (2013). Victim precipitation: Further understanding the linkage between victimization and offending in homicide. Homicide studies , 17 (3), 239-254. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258139381_Victim_Precipitation_Further_Understanding_the_Linkage_Between_Victimization_and_Offending_in_Homicide
