1. Forensic Victimology 2nd Edition
Chapter Seven: Victim Situational Exposure

2. Victim Situational Exposure
Victim situational exposure is the amount of actual exposure or vulnerability experienced by the victim to harm, resulting from their environment and personal traits, at the time of victimization.
This is distinct from lifestyle exposure, which refers to harmful events that exist, generally in a victim’s everyday life.

3. Notable Situational Factors
There are many situational factors commonly understood to increase victim exposure and vulnerability to various forms of harm.
The following are examples:
Victim lifestyle exposure (refer to previous chapter)
Consecutive and concurrent victims.
Consecutive victims – those who have suffered multiple incidents of victimization during different time frames.
Concurrent victims – those who have suffered two or more crimes during the same period of time – sometimes during the same incident.

4. Notable Situational Factors
Continued:
Time of occurrence
Location of occurrence
Proximity to criminal activity
Proximity to criminal activity, violent or aggressive individuals
Number of potential victims
Availability of weapons
Care and supervision
Victim state of mind/perception
Drug and alcohol use
Engaging in violent of aggressive behavior

5. Interpreting Situational Exposure
The purpose of classifying victim situational exposure is to understand the victim’s lifestyle and circumstances so that exposure may be fully understood.

6. Interpreting Situational Exposure
Low situational exposure victims
Those who are exposed to little or no actual harm or loss immediately prior to victimization.
Medium situational exposure victims
Those who are somewhat exposed to the possibility of suffering harm or loss immediately prior to victimization.
High situational exposure victims
Those who are routinely exposed to the possibility of suffering harm or loss.
Extreme situational exposure describes the state of being a victim.