Rural Victimology Scholarship Into the Future

Considerations of victimisation in the canon of criminological literature have hitherto been urban-centric; mostly focused on theoretical constructs of victimology and on specific types of victimisation; and overlooking issues and challenges in rural contexts. Missing from existing theoretical frames is consideration of 'rural' as a significant factor for inclusion. This chapter examines the need for further theorising rural victimology and empirical research on rural victimisation by: (i) conceptualising the rural victim through challenging uncritical and normative constructions of victimisation; (ii) understanding the impacts of space and place on vulnerability to rural victimisation, expanding the concept of the rural victim beyond human form; (iii) evaluating the appropriateness of existing victimological theories in explaining rural victimisation, encouraging the development of a specific theory of rural victimisation; and (iv) situating policy and practice reform and responses to victims in the rural space, advocating for positive change.