victimization

American  

[vik-tuh-muh-zey-shuhn] / ˌvɪk tə məˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of making someone into a victim by harming or killing them.

   Mentally ill people who wander these streets are particularly vulnerable to victimization by criminal predators.

2. the act or fact of blaming others for the hardships one encounters in life.

   That school of thought says that victimization is an attitude: you may have no control over what happens to you, but you can control what you do with it.

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Etymology

Origin of victimization

First recorded in 1840–50; victimiz(e) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Example Sentences

This helps the empathizer make sense of things, but it sounds more like victimization and a savior complex than empathy.

From The Wall Street Journal

Still, the main takeaway is that overall rates of reported crime victimization across America, in both urban and rural areas, have been dropping for decades: They are 58% lower in 2022 than in 1979.

From Salon

In the tome of essays, author and educator Patricia Pisters discusses Madonna’s ability to transcend the traditional objectification and victimization that famous women are usually subject to.

From Salon

This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel brings nuance to communities that have been ravaged by extractive capitalism and then shamed for their victimization.

From Los Angeles Times

Quiñonez says he wanted to emphasize the beauty of immigrant culture, instead of its victimization.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• deception