Victimology, Gendered Labour, and Structural Inequality: A Critical Interdisciplinary Analysis of Crime, Victimization, and Political Economy

TITLE OF THE ARTICLE Victimology, Gendered Labour, and Structural Inequality:A Critical Interdisciplinary Analysis of Crime, Victimization, and Political Economy AUTHOR AND AFFILIATION Ganesh Shrirang SatarkarDepartment of SociologyCentral University of HaryanaHaryana, India DESCRIPTION (Title + Author + Affiliation + Abstract of the Entire Article) Victimology, Gendered Labour, and Structural Inequality: A Critical Interdisciplinary Analysis of Crime, Victimization, and Political Economy, authored by Ganesh Shrirang Satarkar, Department of Sociology, Central University of Haryana, India, presents a comprehensive interdisciplinary examination of victimology by integrating criminological, psychological, legal, sociological, and political-economic perspectives. The article traces the historical development of victimology, elaborates its core concepts, and situates the field within international human rights discourse, with particular emphasis on the United Nations Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power (1985). It critically analyses the victim–offender relationship and examines the physical, financial, and psychological impacts of victimization, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, anger, fear, resilience, and post-traumatic growth, while also addressing the social construction of victims and processes of stigmatization. The study further explores primary, secondary, and tertiary victimization, highlighting the ways in which institutional practices within the criminal justice system and societal responses often reproduce harm. The role of non-governmental organizations in victim assistance is examined as a vital mechanism for bridging gaps in state-led justice delivery. From a criminological standpoint, the article engages with theories of routine activity, lifestyle exposure, repeat victimization, fear of crime, punitivity, and victimization surveys, including the economic and social costs of crime. Legal perspectives are analysed through victims’ rights under the Criminal Procedure Code and victim compensation schemes in India. Finally, drawing upon the theoretical contributions of Friedrich Engels, Rosa Luxemburg, Esther Boserup, and Sandra Whitworth, the article situates victimization within broader structures of gendered labour, globalization, structural adjustment programs, and the New Economic Policy, arguing that victimization must be understood as a structural phenomenon rooted in inequality and global political-economic transformations rather than merely as an individual experience of harm. KEYWORDS (PARAGRAPH FORMAT) Victimology, crime victims, gendered labour, political economy, structural violence, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, victim compensation, Criminal Procedure Code, non-governmental organizations, globalization, routine activity theory, cyber victimology, mass victimization, feminist theory, use value and market value. PUBLICATION DETAILS Article Type: Research Article Discipline: Criminology / Sociology / Victimology / Gender Studies Methodology: Theoretical, analytical, interdisciplinary Level: Postgraduate / Doctoral / Research Intended Audience: Academicians, researchers, criminologists, legal scholars, policy makers Suggested Citation Style: APA (7th Edition) Language: English Originality: Original scholarly work Ethical Statement: No conflict of interest declared