The phrase "victim of circumstance" refers to someone who is harmed, injured or disadvantaged not as a result of their own actions, but due to circumstances beyond their control. It suggests that the person is not at fault for their situation, but rather it has happened to them due to factors such as chance, fate or external forces. The phrase is often used to describe someone who has been affected by an accident, natural disaster or other unforeseen event, and highlights the idea that sometimes bad things can happen to good people through no fault of their own.