Meaning & use
victimisation
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
The act of treating someone unfairly or making them suffer, often because of who they are.
Grammar: Uncountable: you can say 'victimisation of workers', but not 'a victimisation' or 'victimisations'.
Patterns
- victimisation of someone
- racial victimisation
- victimisation at work
The report found widespread victimisation of ethnic minorities in the police force.
She claimed victimisation after she reported the bullying to her manager.
The new law aims to stop the victimisation of whistleblowers.
noununcountable
The process of making someone a victim, especially by singling them out for repeated unfair treatment.
Grammar: Uncountable; often used after verbs like 'experience' or 'suffer'.
Patterns
- experience victimisation
- suffer victimisation
- a form of victimisation
Many employees experience victimisation when they try to join a union.
The study looked at how victimisation affects mental health.
He described the constant victimisation he faced from his colleagues.
Common combinations
- racial victimisation
- The court heard evidence of racial victimisation against the workers.
- victimisation claim
- She filed a victimisation claim against her employer.
- victimisation of someone
- The victimisation of young people in the care system is a serious problem.
- experience victimisation
- Many people experience victimisation at some point in their lives.
Synonyms and how they differ
- harassment
- Harassment is repeated unwanted behavior that annoys or threatens; victimisation is broader and focuses on unfair treatment that makes someone a victim.
- persecution
- Persecution is more severe and often systematic, usually because of religion or politics; victimisation can be less extreme and more personal.
- discrimination
- Discrimination is unfair treatment based on a protected characteristic; victimisation can also be a reaction to someone complaining about discrimination.
Opposites
Word family
- victimise verb
- To treat someone unfairly or make them a victim.
- victim noun
- A person who has been harmed or treated unfairly.
- victimised adjective
- Describing someone who has been treated unfairly.
Commonly confused: victimisation or victimization?
victimisation vs victimization
This is the American spelling; victimisation with -s- is British. Both mean the same thing.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'victimisation' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Victimisation is an uncountable noun, so it does not take 'a' or a plural, and it cannot be used as a verb. Only option 1 uses it correctly as an uncountable noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “victimisation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.