Study summary
This article analyzes the influence of fear of crime on the behavior of students at a university in northern Argentina. Through quantitative, descriptive research, a sample of 90 students was surveyed to identify the elements that trigger the feeling of insecurity, the most feared crimes and the changes in their daily routines.
The results reveal that 66% of students fear being the victim of a crime on the commute to or from the university, with lack of lighting being the main perceived risk factor.
Significant gender differences are observed: women fear primarily for their sexual integrity, while men fear for their physical integrity and property. The study concludes that fear of crime acts as a regulator of mobility and the use of public space, affecting the quality of life of the university community.
Introduction
Public insecurity is a complex and dynamic social problem that occupies a central place on today’s public agenda. Beyond the objective crime statistics, there is a subjective dimension known as “fear of crime,” which can be even more disabling than the criminal act itself. Studying this feeling is vital because fear generates avoidance and self-protection behaviors that fracture the sense of community. The university setting is a relevant object of study because students move through specific times and spaces that may increase their perception of vulnerability. The aim of this research was to describe fear of crime and establish what behaviors university students display in the face of this perceived threat.
Methodology
The research was carried out under a quantitative approach and a descriptive design. Non-probabilistic, accidental or casual sampling was used, achieving the participation of 90 students from different faculties. As a data-collection technique, a structured survey administered electronically was applied. The study and data collection were carried out during the 2023–2024 period.
Results
Perception of insecurity
66% of students (59 of 90) reported real fear of being the victim of a crime on the commute between the university and their home. Notably, the fear persists even among those who have not been direct victims.
Risk situations and spaces
Late night (00:00 to 06:00) and night (19:00 to 00:00) are considered the most dangerous times by 47% and 43% of respondents, respectively. In addition, 80% of students have established “safe routes” to avoid risk areas.
Times perceived as most dangerous
Source: own elaboration.
Influencing factors
The most decisive external element for fear of crime is the lack of street lighting (78 mentions), followed by extreme hours and areas considered dangerous by others.
The impact of fear on routine
Fear of crime in the university community is not only a subjective feeling, but a factor that actively conditions mobility and the use of public space. The predominant behavior among students is to stay alert during trips to or from campus (46 mentions), revealing a state of constant hypervigilance that affects their peace of mind.
Discussion
The findings confirm the “fear of crime paradox,” where the perception of risk does not always match actual victimization. Interpreting the results, the predominant feeling is indignation (49%) and powerlessness (36%), consistent with the theory that fear is a cognitive judgment toward a State perceived as unable to protect.
Predominant feeling toward insecurity
Source: own elaboration.
There is a marked gender gap: while men fear for their physical integrity (48%), women fear primarily for their sexual integrity (37%). This means insecurity restricts female students’ autonomy in a differentiated way, as they tend to adopt stricter measures such as not using their phone in public or avoiding walking home alone.
Gender gap in the most feared crime
Source: own elaboration.
Recommendations
To university authorities: improve lighting on campus and promote agreements to ensure the maintenance of public lighting and improve public-transport waiting areas. To security agencies: increase preventive patrolling during the identified critical hours (start and end of late/night shifts) and improve the urban environment (vacant lots and streetlights). To the student population: encourage support networks to avoid traveling alone and keep communication channels active to share real-time location.
Conclusions
Fear of crime among university students is a phenomenon present in the majority, regardless of their previous experience with crime. This feeling acts as an invisible barrier that alters routines, from the choice of transport to restrictions on study or socializing hours. Addressing insecurity from its subjective dimension is essential to ensure that the university environment is a space of freedom rather than restriction, promoting better quality of life and social well-being for future professionals.
Recommended reading
To delve into the subjective dimension of security, the work of Gabriel Kessler (2009) on the feeling of insecurity in Argentina is essential. This approach is complemented by Zygmunt Bauman (2007) in Liquid Fear, who analyzes how modern social fears impact identity and personal protection. From a historical and anthropological perspective, Jean Delumeau (1978) offers in Fear in the West a fundamental basis for understanding fear as a constant of human experience. Finally, to understand how these emotions translate into changes in routine and avoidance behaviors, the studies of De Miguel (2000) on perceived risk and the research of Ávila and Mejía (2019) on the impact of fear on mobility and citizens’ quality of life are suggested.