Ecologies of Violence : A Comparative Perspective in Contemporary Victimology and Criminology

This volume offers an in-depth exploration of the complex and evolving manifestations of violence through a comparative and contextual lens. Addressing a wide range of violent behaviors—from intimate partner violence and human trafficking to acid attacks and child victimization—this book presents an interdisciplinary approach that blends criminology, victimology, and psychosocial insights. By focusing on the interaction between victims and offenders within diverse socio-cultural and institutional contexts, it highlights the multifaceted nature of violence as a central construct in both criminological and victimological studies. 

The chapters integrate innovative theoretical perspectives and evidence-based practices drawn from international research, primarily from Spain, Mexico, and Australia. The text emphasizes the need for tailored interventions and prevention strategies that account for the unique characteristics and relational dynamics between victims and offenders across different environments. Topics include emerging forms of violence, such as chemical violence and femi-disappearances, as well as established issues like family violence, bullying, and the cumulative harm of childhood trauma. 

By advancing beyond conventional crime and deviance paradigms, this book redefines the study of violence, offering fresh epistemological reflections on its role in shaping victimization and criminal behavior. With its focus on qualitative and comparative methodologies, this volume provides a vital resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to understand and address violence in its many forms. 

This book is essential reading for scholars in criminology, victimology, and social sciences, as well as professionals working in violence prevention, justice, and human rights sectors.

Oscar Ivan Cortes-Perez is a forensic victimologist and professor of tertiary education. He earned a Psychology degree with Honorific Mention from the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi (Mexico) and a master’s in Forensic Sciences and Victimology from the Autonomous University of Durango Campus Zacatecas (Mexico). Early in his career, he interned at the Attorney General’s Office of San Luis Potosi and at the federal level in Mexico, conducting forensic investigations on homicide, feminicide, torture, and gender-based political violence. He has also collaborated with the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office in San Luis Potosi on child sexual abuse and intimate partner violence cases. Since 2017, he has taught at the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosi, including graduate-level courses since 2020. His research focuses on gender-based violence, forensic and critical victimology, and epistemic injustice. He is a member of the Mexican Society of Criminology (SOMECRIM) and the World Society of Victimology (WSV). He is the author of the collection “Forensic Victimology and Femi(ni)cide: A Transdisciplinary Approach on Forensic Evidence and its Contexts” also published by Springer.