About Us

The purpose of the WSV is to advance victimological research and practices around the world; to encourage interdisciplinary and comparative work and research in this field, and to advance cooperation between international, national, regional and local agencies and other groups who are concerned with the problems of victims.

Become a Member

The origins of the WSV are rooted in the works of the early victimologists and the pioneering “First International Symposium on Victimology” organized by Israel Drapkin in Israel in 1973. This symposium provided scholars, practitioners, researchers and students with the first international forum to focus on victimology. Successive International Symposia on Victimology were organized in Boston, USA in 1976, and in Munster in 1979, where the Society was formed, and Hans Joachim Schneider became its first president. Since then the Society has hosted Symposia every three years in all major regions of the world:

1982 Tokyo/Kyoto
1985 Zagreb
1988 Jerusalem
1991 Rio de Janeiro
1994 Adelaide
1997 Amsterdam
2000 Montreal
2003 Stellenbosch
2006 Orlando
2009 Mito
2012 Den Hague
2015 Perth (forthcoming)

History and Overview

The WSV works with intergovernmental organizations, as an active promoter of research and program development on victims, assistance to victims, and victim rights. It pioneered a special United Nations’ charter of victims’ rights, which resulted in the General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/40/34) named the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power. The WSV’s members represent many organizations in the International Scientific and Professional Advisory Council (ISPAC) to the Crime Program at the United Nations, and serve on its Board of Directors. These activities are achieved mainly through the networking of persons concerned with the theory of victimology and the practice of victim support.

As a non-governmental organization with Special Category consultive status with the UN’s ECOSOC the WSV is involved in the United Nations Congresses (held 5 years apart) and Commissions (held annually, except when a Congress is held) on Crime and Criminal Justice (see UNODC). The WSV is also active with the Council of Europe‘s European Forum for Victim Assistance, with the National Organization for Victim Assistance in the USA, with Victim Support in the United Kingdom, and with other national, regional and territorial organizations across the globe.

The WSV maintains many active programs within its membership. Information on WSV events, projects and other activities can be found throughout this site.