INTRODUCTION
Crime may have a significant negative effect on those who are impacted by it. Victims may experience injury to their bodies, minds, emotions, and finances, after which some might never fully recuperate. Those who were hurt or their families may face danger of harm or actual harm, including danger against their well-being. States must uphold the basic rights of sufferers, provide for their particular requirements, and shield them from additional damage. The collaboration of witnesses and victims is essential to accomplishing effective convictions of criminals and eliminating criminal organizations, along with the responsibilities related to human rights and benefits for aiding and safeguarding those who have been the victims of or witnesses to severe crimes.[1]
THE WORLD SOCIETY OF VICTIMOLOGY
It operates as a non-profit institution. It belongs to the non-governmental sector. Additionally, it has Exceptional Category status for consultation with the Council of Europe and the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Its global participation consists of professionals in victim aid, social scientists, social workers, doctors, attorneys, government employees, volunteers, academics at all levels of universities, and students.[2] Members are united by a shared empathy for victims.
Purpose: The WSV aims to promote victimological procedures and research globally, to promote multidisciplinary and comparison studies and research in this area, and to foster collaboration between global, national, local, as well as regional organizations along with various groups that are interested in victim issues.[3]
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Amnesty International is a massive international movement of people calling for human rights for everyone, regardless of race or location. It was established in 1961. In 50 states, there are over one million activists, and supporters along with members of the organization Amnesty International USA.[4] Amnesty International members are part of a worldwide movement with ten million members in 150 nations. Amnesty International has cooperated with various groups to secure crucial safeguards for people and structural change that would affect millions, such as tens of thousands of individuals being let free after the Amnesty International initiative opposing their unfair detention for practising their human rights.[5]
SOUTH ASIAN SOCIETY OF CRIMINOLOGY & VICTIMOLOGY
Professor K. Jaishankar established the South Asian Society of Criminology & Victimology in 2009 to promote criminology and victimology. [6]To develop the South Asian Society of Criminology & Victimology (SASCV) and exchange innovative ideas to promote criminology and victimology in the context of South Asia, scholars, investigators, and practitioners from all around the world have teamed together. It has developed into a cutting-edge program to help those who have been the victims of crimes and abuses of power as well as aiding nations in developing criminal justice systems.[7]
THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR VICTIM ASSISTANCE
It was established in 1975 to promote kindness and empathy for individuals who have been damaged by crime and tragedy by providing victims with services and resources; it acts as a spokesperson for victims.[8] It serves as the national voice for victims and promotes public policy measures that defend the rights of those harmed by crime.
THE INDIAN SOCIETY OF VICTIMOLOGY (ISV)
Dr K. Chockalingam established a forum in August 1992 to address victim issues, raise awareness of the predicament of crime victims, and gather support for the implementation of new victim-friendly legislation. Dr. R. K. Raghavan and Mr. Venkatesan, two more senior high-ranking police officials, served as vice presidents and Dr. K. Chockalingam served as the organization’s founding president.[9] The objectives of the Indian Society of Victimology are; to connect consenting participants to build relationships of kindness and compassion so that they can communicate ideas and viewpoints for the development of victimology practices and studies in India, to promote multidisciplinary and integrative work in this field of study of victimology, and To host a national victimology conference that operates as a venue for national researchers, experts, practitioners, researchers and scholars, often twice a year etc.[10]
INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRIME
It was established in 1994 as a global forum for national governments, regional governments, government departments, and non-governmental groups to share expertise, cutting-edge information, regulations, and programs promoting safety for communities and preventing criminal activity.[11] It helps minimize crime, violence, and instability in communities and nations. It promotes the use of effective procedures and instruments for achieving security for the community, encourages collaboration between nations and towns, criminal justice entities, and community-based groups, and offers guidance and instruction to help put information into practice.[12]
COMMONWEALTH HUMAN RIGHTS INITIATIVE
It is an autonomous, not-for-profit, unbiased, multinational non-governmental organization that works in the field of the protection of human rights. The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative encourages compliance with the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the Commonwealth Harare Principles, and other widely acknowledged human rights documents, including state laws protecting human rights in Commonwealth nations. It has its headquarters in New Delhi, India.[13]
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR VICTIM ASSISTANCE
It promotes rights for victims, assistance, and ways to prevent victimization globally as a change-maker. The idea behind international organizations for victim assistance is to establish a world where there are no violations of human rights and where everyone who has been harmed or survived a disaster may find safety, assistance, and justice.[14] It works to support enhanced regulations, processes, and initiatives through publications, activism, and other means, Promotes education and training to make decisions more victim-centred, trauma-informed, as well as culturally acceptable, and directly supports victims’ emotional and psychological needs.[15]
CONCLUSION
The phrase ‘victim assistance, support, or services’ describes the actions taken in response to victimization to reduce distress and speed up rehabilitation. The victim’s assistance approach advocates a restorative justice approach, which aims to terminate criminal actions through holistic efforts that take into account the wants and requirements of both the person who was hurt and the offender. To assist the greatest number of victims, assistance for victims must be available. This access will be demonstrated in several ways, such as accessibility in both urban and rural, the anonymity and confidentiality of victims. Even in nations with a lot of advancements, justice for victims has not been fully realized. To ensure that the fundamental rights recognized in the UN Declaration of Victims are realized in a significant number of developing nations, we need to fight the issue tenaciously with administrations and civil society.
Author(s) Name: Deeksha Upadhyay (Sardar Patel University)
References:
[1] United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, ‘Criminal Prevention and Criminal Justice-Human rights ’ <//www.unodc.org/unodc/en/humanrights/areas/crime-prevention.html>accessed 4 August 2023
[2] The World Society of Victimology, ‘About us: WSV – the World Society of Victimology’ <http://www.worldsocietyofvictimology.org/about-us/> accessed 4 August 2023
[3] Ibid
[4] Amnesty International USA, <https://www.amnestyusa.org/about-us/> accessed 4 August 2023
[5] Amnesty International USA, ‘Amnesty International Annual Report 2005’ (Amnesty International, 23 May 2005) <https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/0001/2005/en/> accessed 5 August 2023
[6] ‘South Asian Society of Criminology and Victimology (SASCV)’ <https://www.sascv.org/index.html> accessed 5 August 2023
[7] ibid
[8] The National Organization for Victim Assistance, ‘NOVA: Who We Are: Mission & Reach'<https://www.trynova.org/who-we-are/> accessed 5 August 2023
[9] ‘Indian Society Of Victimology’ <https://isvindia.webs.com/> accessed 5 August 2023
[10] ibid
[11] United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, ‘International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC)’ <//www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/PNI/institutes-ICPC.html> accessed 5 August 2023
[12] ibid
[13] Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, <https://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/content/chri> accessed 5 August 2023
[14] International Organization for Victim Assistance, ‘International Organization for Victim Assistance :: Making a Difference Around The Globe’ <https://www.iovahelp.org/> accessed 5 August 2023
[15] ibid
