Violence against the Socially Expendable

Abstract

Violent victimization is not evenly distributed within society. Victims of violence, therefore, do not constitute an unbiased cross-section of the general population. Violence, in fact, is clustered within certain groups. Those groups are much more prone to violence and run a far greater risk of being the recipients of violence than others. As other chapters in this volume deal with some of those vulnerable and highly victimized groups (children, ethnic and religious others, sexual minorities, prison inmates), and to avoid any potential overlap, this chapter will limit itself to violence against those who are often considered, culturally, socially and politically, to be expendable. Members of such groups could be rightly described as “culturally legitimate targets.” Not infrequently, lethal violence against some of those who are socially burdensome, unneeded, or worthless, is welcomed as one way of ridding society of certain unwanted elements. Lesser forms of violence against the others are encouraged, condoned, or simply ignored. The outright relief or the startling indifference that quite often greets the violence against them is in sharp contrast to the outrage and demands for punishment that greets violent acts directed at the “valued” groups of society. The reaction of the authorities and the general public to the victimization of these “devalued” citizens is simply appalling. There is no outpour of sympathy. No one seems sorry for the victim. There is no outcry of indignation and little (if anything) is done to find, pursue, and bring to justice those who are responsible for the victimization. The few offenders who are occasionally caught are often treated with great leniency by the courts (Fattah, 1997:160).