Critically assess the notion of an ‘ideal victim’ and how it has been used in media portrayals of crime. What are the demographic characteristics of the victim?

VICTIMS OF CRIME

Question: Critically assess the notion of an ‘ideal victim’ and how it has been used in media portrayals of crime

What are the demographic characteristics of the victim (eg Madeline McCann, young child, white girl, child to working parents)

-Think of gender,race,age playing a big role in ideal victim

-Refer to how media portray an ‘ideal victim’ / Moral panic/ News exaggeration

Refer to Media representations of victims

Who are seen as ‘ideal’ & ‘worthy’ victims?

Refer to victimisation in media

-over-representation

-under-representation

THE “IDEAL VICTIM”

“A person or category of individuals who – when hit by crime – most readily are given the complete and legitimate status of being a victim” (Christie 1986:18) Film and television stories focus increasingly on the plight of victims, whose suffering is portrayed more graphically and often constitutes the driving force of the story (Reiner et al. 2001)