An online session on the Impact of Victimisation was conducted on 25 March 2026 at the Institute of Law, Nirma University, for Semester VIII students. The session, organised by the Centre for Criminal Law and Justice, was delivered by Dr. Lajwanti Chatani(Professor and Head of Department of Political Science, MSU). The speaker conceptualised victimisation not as a singular act of harm but as an ongoing process that shapes identities, experiences, and social realities. Victimhood, she argued, is produced and sustained through structures of power such as patriarchy, caste, and class. Harm may manifest in physical, verbal, or psychological forms, but its recognition depends on prevailing social norms and legal frameworks. Drawing on examples such as Sati and caste-based oppression, the session illustrated how certain forms of harm have historically been normalised and therefore excluded from being recognised as victimisation. This highlighted that victimhood is contingent upon who has the authority to define harm, thereby making it inherently political. The discussion further emphasised that structures of power simultaneously facilitate victimisation while also attempting to criminalise it, creating a paradox within the justice system.
The session then examined the deeper psychological and structural impacts of victimisation. It was noted that victimisation often leads to internalised oppression, where individuals begin to perceive themselves through the lens of the “other,” resulting in long-term identity distortion and emotional harm. This is particularly evident among marginalised groups such as women, Dalits, and labourers, whose victimhood is continuously reproduced through everyday practices. Engaging with theorists such as Michel Foucault and Judith Butler, the speaker explained how power structures normalise victimisation, making it appear routine rather than exceptional. The political economy of punishment, influenced by capitalist structures, further determines whose suffering is acknowledged and whose is ignored, thereby reinforcing systemic inequalities.
Additionally, victimisation was described as a form of power that both suppresses and reveals underlying hierarchies, opening space for critique and reform. The role of law was critically examined as both an instrument that can erase victimhood by narrowly defining harm and a mechanism that seeks to provide recognition and redress. The session concluded by emphasising that understanding the impact of victimisation requires moving beyond legal definitions to examine the broader socio-political and psychological contexts in which victimhood is created, sustained, and contested.