Victimisation

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of inflicting harm or unfair treatment on an individual through exploitation or oppression occurs in various social settings and can lead to long-lasting effects
2. The act of causing distress or suffering to a person, often through discrimination or abuse, reflects a failure in social justice and equality
3. The act or process of treating someone unjustly or causing them harm, often repeatedly or systematically

Etymology: "Victimisation" is a straightforward formation: the noun "victim" with the suffix "-isation", which turns a verb into a noun naming a process. "Victim" itself came into English from Middle French "victime," which in turn came from Latin "victima," meaning a living thing offered as a sacrifice to a god. The sacrificial sense was the original one, so a victim was first a creature killed on an altar before it meant anyone harmed by another's action. The suffix carries the process meaning. It descends from Latin "-tiō," which formed nouns of action, and reached English through Old French "-acion" and Middle English "-acioun." The "-ise" element in the middle comes from Late Latin "-izāre," via Middle French "-iser," and it turns a noun or adjective into a verb meaning to make or treat something a certain way. Combining these gives a word for the act of treating someone as a victim.

Synonyms: persecution, oppression, discrimination, maltreatment, abuse

Antonyms: protection, safeguarding, defense, support, assistance