Dumbing down
Making light of the actions of the perpetrator of a crime or minimizing the suffering of the victim. Belittling can be perpetrated by asking inappropriate questions, such as "Not that much happened to you when you knew him, did it?". It is one of the causes of secondary victimisation.
Gender
A term referring to socially and culturally conditioned and constructed differences between women and men that are historically and locally variable. They are not a natural and immutable characteristic of women and men, but reflect the current state of social relations between them. As such, gender stands in contrast to biological differences, between women and men
Gender-based violence
All acts of physical, sexual, psychological economic or other forms of violence that target women because they are women or men because they are men, or acts of such violence that disproportionately affect women or men.
Gender stereotypes
Simplistic and biased ideas concerning the characteristics, attitudes and roles of women and men in society, in employment and in the family. Generalizations about male and female characteristics can often lead to disadvantages for those whose behaviour deviates from the stereotype (e.g. pressure on boys and men interested in so-called 'feminine activities').
False accusations
Falsely accusing another person of a criminal offence, often with the intention of causing that person to be prosecuted. This is a criminal offence, so a person can be punished by imprisonment for committing it.
Violent person
An individual who commits any form of domestic or gender-based violence.
Victim vs. Victimised
Any person who feels that he or she is a victim of a crime is considered to be a victim of the crime committed, unless the contrary is apparent or there is a clear abuse of the victim's status. Only a natural person can be a victim of a crime.
The victim shall act as a victim if criminal proceedings have been initiated. The victim is a party to the criminal proceedings (as is the accused) and may also be a legal person.
Secondary victimisation
These are the consequences of, for example, insensitive behaviour and emotional damage to the victim by inadequate media access, indifferent attitude of the environment, repeated and long interrogations, distrust of the child's testimony, confrontation of the victim with the accused, etc.
Sexual violence
Any sexual conduct involving attempts to achieve sexual intercourse, unwanted sexual comments and advances, acts directed towards trafficking or otherwise directed against the sexuality of an individual using coercion. In most cases, sexual violence entails the use of sexuality as a tool of power.
Sexual coercion
under Section 186 of the Penal Code: Sexual coercion is committed by a person who coerces another (by force, threat of force or other harm, but also by taking advantage of his or her defencelessness) into self-defence. Sexual coercion also occurs if the perpetrator takes advantage of his/her position or the victim's influence/dependence (e.g. teacher, parish priest, employer) and through this coerces the other to have sexual intercourse, to sexually self-dispose, to expose himself/herself.
Criminal offence
An unlawful act that is made punishable by a criminal law and exhibits the characteristics specified in such law
Types of offences
Misdemeanors (negligent crimes and those intentional crimes for which the penal law provides for imprisonment with a maximum penalty of five years or less.), felonies - crimes that are not misdemeanors under the penal law, especially serious crimes - intentional crimes for which the penal law provides for imprisonment with a maximum penalty of ten years or more.
Criminal notification
A report of facts indicating that a crime has been committed, which may be made to any police authority or public prosecutor's office and may be made orally or in writing. The report must indicate to which law enforcement authority it is addressed, who makes it and what matter and person(s) it concerns.
Victimisation
The process by which a person becomes a victim of a crime.
Rape
under Section 185 of the Penal Code: Rape is committed by an offender who forces another person to have intercourse or other forms of sexual gratification by violence, threat of violence or other grievous harm, or by taking advantage of his or her defencelessness. Other serious harm may include, for example, the publication of photographs of the victim or the removal of children. The defencelessness will be involved, for example, if the person raped is under the influence of drugs, alcohol or asleep. Rape also includes situations where the perpetrator puts the victim in a state of defencelessness (e.g. by getting her drunk). Rape also includes oral, anal and similar practices.
Particularly vulnerable victim
Victims who are at greater risk of secondary harm or intimidation by the perpetrator. These victims may also be particularly vulnerable to exacerbating the stress and emotional trauma experienced as a result of being involved in the criminal proceedings themselves, e.g. during interrogation. The law identifies several groups of particularly vulnerable victims - victims under the age of 18, elderly or disabled persons, victims of trafficking offences, victims of sexual offences, offences involving coercion, violence or threat of violence, offences committed because of membership of a nation, race, ethnic group, religion or class.
