Sinposis

VICTIMS OF TERRORISM ARE A UNIQUE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHOSE EXPERIENCE IS OVERLOOKED IN THE CURRENT LITERATURE ON TERRORISM. SINCE 9/11, TERRORISM HAS RISEN TO GLOBAL PROMINENCE AND HAS BECOME A KEY TOPIC OF INTEREST WITH REGARDS TO MEDIA ATTENTION AND NATIONAL SECURITY. AS A RESULT, MANY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES (AS WELL AS THE USA) HAVE HAD TO TAKE ACTIVE STEPS TO PROTECT AND PROVIDE FOR THE VICTIMS OF TERRORISM, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE NATURE OF VICTIMISATION POST-3/11 (MADRID) AND 7/7 (LONDON). RECENTLY, WE HAVE ALSO SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE POLITICAL CURRENCY OF THE TERRORIST VICTIM; FOR EXAMPLE, THE LOBBYING ACTIVITIES AND POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT OF THE VICTIMS OF ETA TERRORISM AND THE EXCEPTIONALLY POWERFUL LOBBY IN THE USA THAT SEES THE INVOLVEMENT OF VICTIMS OF TERRORISM AND THEIR FAMILIES IN POLICY-MAKING AND LAW-ENFORCEMENT TRANSFORMATIONS.