2.5 WHAT HAPPENED AND WHO DID WHAT TO WHOM? Definition The term Act is a single piece of movement or action, usually involving force. Usually, an act is committed by a person (an individual or a group) against another, in which case it is referred to as an act of commission. Act can also mean the non-performance of an expected or required movement or action, in which case it is referred to as an act of omission. An event can be any of the following:  one-act event: most events of this kind consist of acts which are usually completed immediately, such as the killing of a labour leader or the bombing of an office. Most acts involving legislation or policy-making can also be treated as one-act events.  multiple-act event: multiple acts in one event can occur as: - a series of related acts: one can usually see the following patterns of violations committed under repressive regimes: ' arrest  torture  imprisonment' or ' surveillance  abduction  extra-judicial execution' . When such a series of acts is committed against the same persons, it is useful to combine these acts in one event, so as to have a complete narrative. - simultaneous acts: examples of events with simultaneous acts are a massacre or the beating of several demonstrators during a protest action. - a combination of sequential and simultaneous acts: an example of this is the arrest of several workers belonging to the same union. The arrest could be simultaneous, but the succeeding acts against each one may be different, as some may be released immediately while others could remain detained.  event with no act In general, all events will contain acts. An exception is when investigation still has to be carried out and what is available is general information and not yet the details. For instance, one may hear of a bombing in a remote village, but does not yet know about possible victims or material damage. It means that the event is already clear but as yet, no act can be determined as the number and identity of the victims still have to be ascertained. The other possibility where an event may not contain an act is if it is a large event encompassing smaller events. This possibility is discussed later in this chapter (Relationships of Events). By devising a brief title for the event it becomes easier for the human rights monitors and factfinders to refer to a particular event. Such a title is often the one used in the media or immediate discussion of the event, such as for instance The Tiananmen Square Massacre. Victims and Perpetrators Various individuals or groups (such as families, communities, organisations, castes or classes, or the people in general) are involved in an event or in relation to an event. Specific terms are used to refer to an individual or group involved, depending on the role that they have. 9