Stories of injustice: Towards a narrative victimology

Abstract

Narrative has become a popular approach in a number of disciplines, including, recently, that of criminology. In this paper, we contend that the study of crime and harm would benefit from a complementary yet distinct perspective of narrative victimology. We discuss key characteristics that illuminate victimological experiences as inherently moral, and hence best addressed through a narrative approach. These include the attribution of intent, the experience of having harm done to oneself, and the narrative implications of being victimized, culminating in the root metaphor of victimization as a historical event. We argue why the narrative approach is particularly suited to the study victimization and its aftermath, including the interaction with justice processes and social surroundings. Suggestions for future research are included.