This article discusses the social construction of the victim and analyses conditions for ascription of the victim role. As a neutral point of reference a scientific construction of the victim is presented. It is agued that for the concept of victimisation to apply within the realm of victimological research and practice five minimum criteria should be fulfilled. Suffering directly or indirectly from victimisation, as defined in this way, is regarded as a precondition for ascription of the victim role. Additional conditions in given social contexts are discussed and a theoretical model for the successful communication of victimisation introduced. Results from interviews with Turkish men and women living in Germany are presented in order to illustrate the model.
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