The victim as a special participant in criminal proceedings with special procedural rights was introduced into the Croatian criminal justice system only by the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act of 2008, transposing the provisions of Directive 2012/29/EU. Until then, she could participate in the proceedings only as an injured party and through that procedural role exercise certain rights, primarily those of a property law nature. It is defined as a natural person who has suffered physical and mental consequences, property damage or significant violation of fundamental rights and freedoms that are a direct consequence of a criminal act. The thesis deals with the procedural position of the victim by briefly discussing the historical development of the legal position of the victim, and then are presented the provisions of the most important international documents. The legal position of the victim in our criminal procedure is regulated by the provisions of Articles 43-50 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The thesis shows the difference between the concept of direct and indirect victim, the concept of victim and injured party, and analyzes the most important rights that the victim enjoys in criminal proceedings: the right to support, the right to information, the right to an individual assessment, the right to monetary compensation. The rights of children as victims of a criminal act, as well as the participation of the police in the process of individual assessment of the victim, are specially addressed.