| This thesis analyzes the word “victim” both rhetorically and quantitatively. What/who is a victim? Is the abusive husband, beaten as a child, a “victim” in the same sense that his abused wife is? Are victims always blameless? After an extensive literature review, this thesis analyzes the word “victim” both as a Weaverian godterm and as a Foucauldian regime of discursive power. Finally, this thesis presents the results of a study the author conducted that suggest that individuals are less likely to attribute blame/responsibility to a person labeled a “victim” than a similar person not labeled a “victim.” This thesis concludes that humans, in order to cope with crime and tragedy, have created an idealistic concept of victimhood that makes the label both unrealistic and attractive. The result is an inability to deal with suffering in a way that acknowledges victimhood without denying one his/her own capacity for choice and action. |
