 What does it mean to become a victim of circumstance?
This has been a great question among some inquisitive people.
After reading through this post, you will know the meaning of victim of circumstance and when you can use it in a conversation.
The term “victim of circumstance” is a common one in our everyday conversation and I believe you must have heard about it and hence the inquiry to find out exactly what it means.
We hear it from different people on different issues. The question borders on what it really stands for. Perhaps, it has not been used rightly.
Let’s take a look at the sentence.
Because it may mean different things to different people, it may not be that easy to coin out a definition for “victim of circumstance” but it can be explained.
An explanation would give better insight than a definition no matter how lengthy the definition is.
There are different ways to explain what is intended when the phrase “victim of circumstance” is used.
Although they all have similar meanings but with slight differences. There are at least three ways to explain the phrase in line with the above description.
In the course of this article, I will share with you four (4) descriptions of “victim of circumstance”
Descriptions of “victim of circumstance” with examples
— First Description
Someone is said to be a victim of circumstance when he or she falls into a bad situation that he is completely not aware of.
That means the person is not in the knowledge of what is going on until the situation begins to hurt.
For instance, if a man boards a taxi with a robbery gang that has just robbed somewhere and the police arrest them at a checkpoint.
Even if the man would be freed later, he would be taken to the police station first, and sometimes would have been wasted. While the man is locked up, he would be described as a victim of circumstance.
— The Second Description
Another meaning of the phrase “victim of circumstance” is when someone is suffering from something that is not a consequence of their direct actions.
Normally, people get punished or suffer for their wrongs but there are times when people suffer for other people’s wrongs.
When this happens, it is said that the person is a victim of circumstance.
For instance, someone is being punished for a crime he didn’t commit. He is being punished because he is the only one found at the crime scene without any evidence that proves he didn’t do it.
— Third Description
The second description brings us to the third description which has to do with timing.
If we want to explain this in terms of timing, it would mean being at a place at the wrong time.
For instance, a man walked to a shop to tell someone about something and as he was given the information, the police team got there to arrest everyone upon the information that everyone there is involved in a crime.
That person who went to give information got there at the wrong time and he is just a victim of circumstance.
— Fourth Description
A victim of circumstance is an individual who suffers bad consequences due to factors beyond their control. Someone can be said to be such a victim if, during the course of his daily life, he encounters a situation without looking for it to cause him harm.
The phrase is often used to describe someone who is pitied because others recognize that he does not share the blame for his situation and that his current situation was caused by the laws of nature or the actions, intentional or not, of others.
A significant aspect of being a victim of circumstance is the concept of bad timing, in which a person suffers harm due to the period of time in which they took a specific action.
For instance, people usually leave their houses and walk to school, work, or the store.
There have occasionally been situations where a pedestrian has left their home only to be met with damaging, even life-threatening, circumstances.
The pedestrian can walk out of his house just as a thunderstorm is brewing and be struck by lightning, or he can walk through an altercation in the street and be injured or killed.
Another example of bad timing is when a person makes an otherwise sound business or financial decision only to suffer significant financial loss due to an unexpected change in the financial situation.
Many people blame a person’s suffering based on how a person’s actions contributed to their situation. As such, people may be more understanding and supportive of someone who is perceived as a victim of circumstance than someone who caused their own problems.
In some cases, this division can make a significant difference in the way others view and treat a person who is suffering.
In some cases, people are concerned to avoid becoming victims of circumstance. This can lead people to be extremely cautious in their relationships and in daily life.
Unfortunately, because it is so difficult to avoid encountering bad circumstances, this approach can backfire and unduly restrict the individual who understandably wants to avoid suffering.
For most healthy adults, acknowledging the reality of both bad luck and the existence of external factors over which they have no control can help temper the impulse to become overly cautious.
In Africa, these experiences even though they are not good enough are common. There are people serving jail terms for a crime that they didn’t commit because there is nothing that proves otherwise.
They are just victims of circumstance. So, it is important to be careful while you move around and do things with people. Taking precautions is key to preventing you from landing in any form of trouble.
Remember to always have the habit of taking precautions.