Victim means a person who suffers direct physical, emotional or financial harm because of an offense committed by another person. This includes close family members of a crime victim, as well as people who are victims of homicide, assault, or property crime, such as burglary, theft and fraud. It may also include children who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation, domestic violence and/or child pornography-related offenses. Victims are entitled to a number of rights under California law, and depending on the crime, these rights can apply at different stages of a criminal case.
Some people who have been abused do not want to be identified as a “victim.” They may prefer the term survivor, which has a positive connotation of strength and resilience and suggests they are moving beyond traumatic experiences.
Being labelled as a victim can impact how adults, children and young people see themselves and can have consequences on the types of support and mentorship professionals are able to offer them. For example, labelling a child as a victim can make them feel like they are less valuable than their peers and may prevent them from sharing their story.
Some children who have been abused don’t want to be known as victims because it can suggest they will always be a victim. They may also not want to be labelled because it implies their behaviour is somehow wrong or a reflection of their abuse, which can impact how they are treated in adulthood.