ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of experiences of victims of crime, with an emphasis on the aspects relating to justice. This means that, although we discuss elements that crime victims share with victims of disaster, accidents and other misfortune, the main concern is with those that are more peculiar for victims of crime: its wrongfulness, the needs relating to the interaction with the criminal justice system and issues concerning the translation of victims' needs and interests into rights within the criminal justice process. Indirect victimization occurs when family and friends, even the broader society is affected by the crime committed. This indirect victimization is closely linked to the fear of crime. Reacting to the harm of victimization involves attempting to restore the situation to that preceding victimization, but also striving to prevent its recurrence. Indeed, where victimization experiences are of a prolonged and repetitive nature, the need for safety is a main concern.
