Student (LLB) Faculty of Law, Baroda School of Legal Studies, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara
This paper elaborates the concept of ‘Victimology’. Victim is the one who constitutes half of the criminal offence, yet the main focus has mainly and always been on the accused, their legal representative, the prosecutor and the presiding officer. Victims have no standing, no rights. Moreover, various declarations were made at the International level and the victim movements around the globe have certainly rectified the situation but this ‘forgotten and forsaken ’lot of the criminal justice system is still in a black hole because the people who are supposed to be the supporting pillars like police, court officials, prosecutors are insensitive most of the times. But Judiciary though playing a pro-victim role cannot at all times be protective umbrella for the victims. The paper strongly recommends that there is a great need is to change the attitude of masses, general public, governments, officials and the victims themselves. They have to stop agonizing and should organize for their rights and needs as their rights too are human rights. Within India's current legal system, the victim seems to be one of the neglected and overlooked parties, when in actual fact, they should be seen as a vital role player in the criminal justice process.
