VICTIM

[noun] [C] - someone or something which has been hurt, damaged or killed or has suffered, either because of the actions of someone or something else, or because of illness or chanceThe chances of being the victim of a crime are still much lower in Britain than they are in America.The children are the innocent/helpless victims of the fighting.The law prevents newspapers and television from naming victims of rape/rape victims.A new drug has been developed which might help save the lives of cancer/AIDS/heart-attack victims.Congress has agreed to provide financial aid to the hurricane/flood victims.We appear to have been the victims of a cruel hoax.Our local hospital has become the latest victim of the cuts in government spending.The school has become a victim of its own success (= its success is causing it to have problems) - it's in danger of becoming overcrowded.If you fall victim to someone or something, you are hurt, damaged, killed or suffer because of them.In 1948, Gandhi fell victim to a member of a Hindu gang.The company has fallen victim to increased competition.