The nature and impact of crime experienced by social work students at a previously disadvantaged university

G. Nokukhanya Ndhlovu & Eleanor Alvira Hendricks

Volume 6 Issue 3, September 2026

Abstract

This study investigates the nature and effects of crime experienced by social work students at a previously disadvantaged rural South African university. Drawing on cognitive behavioural theory (CBT), the research examines how victimisation shapes students’ experiences and well-being. The study was guided by an interpretivist research paradigm and adopted an exploratory qualitative research design. The target population was third-year social work students who had experienced victimisation at the previously disadvantaged rural university, and a purposive sampling technique was employed to select ten participants who had experienced crime. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis approach. The findings reveal that the most prevalent forms of campus crime include theft and gender-based violence (GBV), both of which have significant psychological and relational consequences for survivors. The study found that campus crime undermines student well-being, erodes trust, and disrupts social stability. It concludes that existing institutional safety strategies are inadequate and often fail to provide sufficient support to survivors. The study recommends the development of trauma-informed mental health services, the strengthening of inclusive security frameworks, and the implementation of survivor-centred policies within higher education institutions.

Keywords

Author information & Contribution

Disclosure statement

Funding

Institutional Review Board Statement

Data and Materials Availability

AI Declaration

Notes

Acknowledgement

References

Badiora, A. I. (2017). Patterns of crime on campuses: A spatial analysis of crime and concerns for safety at a Nigerian university. Acta Criminologica: African Journal of Criminology & Victimology, 30(3), 180–200. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-bbcec1bce

Bataille, G. M., & Cordova, D. I. (2014). Managing the unthinkable: Crisis preparation and response for campus leaders. Stylus.

Beck, A. T. (1967). Depression: Causes and treatment. University of Pennsylvania Press.

Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. Penguin.

Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. Guilford Press.

Beck, J. S. (1964). Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond. Guilford Press.

Bondestam, F., & Lundqvist, M. (2020). Sexual harassment in higher education: A systematic review. European Journal of Higher Education, 10(4), 397–419. https://doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2020.1729833

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Burgess, A. W., Regehr, C., & Roberts, A. R. (2010). Victimology: Theories and applications. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Butler, A. C., Chapman, J. E., Forman, E. M., & Beck, A. T. (2006). The empirical status of cognitive-behavioral therapy: a review of meta-analyses. Clinical psychology review, 26(1), 17–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2005.07.003

Carrico, B. A. (2016). The effects of students’ perceptions of campus safety and security on student enrollment (Paper No. 1006) [Master’s thesis, Marshall University]. Marshall Digital Scholar.

Castleberry, A., & Nolen, A. (2018). Thematic analysis of qualitative research data: Is it as easy as it sounds? Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 10(6), 807–815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2018.04.002

Chan, Z. C., Fung, Y., & Chien, W. (2013). Bracketing in Phenomenology: Only Undertaken in the Data Collection and Analysis Process. The Qualitative Report, 18(30), 1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2013.1486

Chekwa, C., Thomas, E., Jr., & Jones, V. (2013). What are college students’ perceptions about campus safety? Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.19030/cier.v6i3.7903

Coen, E., & Thompson, A. (2024). Socio-emotional consequences of violent crime, 2022. https://ovc.ojp.gov/library/publications/socio-emotional-consequences-violent-crime-2022

Cripps, J. (2016). Forms of technology-facilitated sexual violence and university women’s psychological functioning (Doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto).

Damoah, B., Khalo, X., & Omodan, B. (2023). Disparities in rural universities transformation: A review from a South African perspective. Prizren Social Science Journal, 7(3), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.32936/pssj.v7i3.449

Davies, C., & Fisher, M. (2018). Understanding research paradigms. Journal of the Australasian Rehabilitation Nurses Association, 21(3), 21–25. https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/INFORMIT.160174725752074

Deane, T. (2024). Perceptions of crime and the fear of crime. In T. Deane (Ed.), Gender-based violence and femicide in South Africa (Gender, Justice and Legal Feminism, Vol. 5). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61053-0_6

Dinisman, T., & Moroz, A. (2017). Understanding victims of crime: The impact of the crime and support needs. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.17335.73124

du Toit, D. (2015). Working as a security guard on Potchefstroom campus: Issues, challenges and coping strategies. South African Review of Sociology, 46(2), 97–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/21528586.2014.999112

Eagle, G. (2015). Crime, fear and continuous traumatic stress in South Africa: What place for social cohesion? Psychology in Society, 49, 83–98. https://doi.org/10.17159/2309-8708/2015/n49a7

Engle, J. C. (2015). Mandatory reporting of campus sexual assault and domestic violence: Moving to a victim-centric protocol that comports with federal law. Temple Political & Civil Rights Law Review, 24, 401–447. https://docslib.org/doc/11995959/mandatory-reporting-of-campus-sexual-assault-and-domestic-violence-moving-to-a-victim-centric-protocol-that-comports-with-federal-law-jill-c

Fathi, M. J. (2016). Examination of crime and similar concepts in the medical law. Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, 9, Article 4. https://scispace.com/pdf/examination-of-crime-and-similar-concepts-in-the-medical-law-4qlbg9jzdz.pdf

Forbes-Mewett, H., McCulloch, J., & Nyland, C. (2015). International students and crime. Palgrave Macmillan.

Govender, D. (2020). Safety and security model for institutions of higher learning in South Africa. Servamus Community-Based Safety and Security Magazine, 113(10). https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-2013631f0f

Guest, G., Namey, E., & Chen, M. (2020). A simple method to assess and report thematic saturation in qualitative research. PLoS ONE, 15(5), Article e0232076. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232076

Gwiza, M., & Hendricks, E. A. (2025). Justice for the survivors: Examining the effectiveness of the adopted university policy in serving justice on gender-based violence cases at a selected South African university. Social and Health Sciences. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.25159/2957-3645/17436

Hardeo, P. (2013). Student perceptions of security services at UKZN (Doctoral dissertation, University of KwaZulu-Natal).

Hanson, R. F., Sawyer, G. K., Begle, A. M., & Hubel, G. S. (2010). The impact of crime victimization on quality of life. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 23(2), 189–197. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20508

Herman, J. L. (2015). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence—From domestic abuse to political terror. Hachette UK.

Hiller, J. (2016). Epistemological foundations of objectivist and interpretivist research [Unpublished manuscript]. University of Dayton. https://ecommons.udayton.edu/books/53/

Hollon, S. D., & Beck, A. T. (1994). Cognitive and cognitive-behavioral therapies. In A. E. Bergin & S. L. Garfield (Eds.), Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (pp. 428–466). Wiley.

Hullenaar, K. L., Rowhani-Rahbar, A., Rivara, F. P., Vavilala, M. S., & Baumer, E. P. (2022). Victim–offender relationship and the emotional, social, and physical consequences of violent victimization. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 62(5), 763–769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.10.018

Jagath, S. (2023). Addressing sexual harassment among students at a Durban university (Doctoral dissertation, Durban University of Technology). https://openscholar.dut.ac.za/bitstream/10321/4832/3/Jagath_S_2023.pdf

Janssen, H. J., Oberwittler, D., & Koeber, G. (2021). Victimization and its consequences for well-being: A between- and within-person analysis. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 37, 101–140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10940-019-09445-6

Janse van Rensburg, B. (2012). The South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP) and SASOP State Employed Special Interest Group (SESIG) position statements on psychiatric care in the public sector: Position statements. South African Journal of Psychiatry, 18(3), 133–148. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC125435

Josselson, R. (2013). Interviewing for qualitative inquiry: A relational approach. Guilford Press.

Kendall, P. C., & Kriss, M. R. (1983). Cognitive-behavioral interventions. In C. E. Walker (Ed.), The handbook of clinical psychology: Theory, research and practice (pp. 770–819). Dow Jones-Irwin.

Knaus, W. J. (2014). The cognitive behavioral workbook for anxiety: A step-by-step program (2nd ed.). New Harbinger Publications.

Lantz, B. (2021). The consequences of crime in company: Co-offending, victim–offender relationship, and quality of violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(7–8), NP4363–NP4388. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260518786497

Langford, L. (2004). Preventing violence and promoting safety in higher education settings: Overview of a comprehensive approach. Education Development Center. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED537696.pdf

Lurigio, A. J. (2024). A Half Century Of Criminalizing Serious Mental Illness: Observations And Considerations. DePaul J. Health Care L., 26, 38. https://access.heinonline.com/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/dephcl26&id=38&collection=journals&index=

Makhaye, M. S. (2016). Exploring students’ perceptions on the nature and incidence of crime on university on-campus residence (Master’s thesis, University of KwaZulu-Natal). http://hdl.handle.net/10413/14835

McGarry, R., & Walklate, S. (2015). Victims: Trauma, testimony and justice. Routledge.

Mdlungu, T., & Tshivhase, T. (2020). Students’ attitudes towards safety and security measures employed at a university in the Eastern Cape. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies, 12(2), 529–546. https://www.sobiad.org/eJOURNALS/journal_IJSS/arhieves/IJSS-2020-2_ek/m-tandiwe.pdf

Mkhize, S., Cinini, S. F., & Ngcece, S. (2022). University campuses and types of crime: A case study of the University of KwaZulu-Natal/Howard Campus in the city of Durban–South Africa. Cogent Social Sciences, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2022.2110199

Mlamla, S. (2019, August 28). Safety: Campuses hit by crime. Cape Argus, p. 2.

Modise, J. M. (2025). Social and economic drivers of violent crime in South Africa: The impact of poverty and unemployment. MRS Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Studies, 2(10), 1–10.

Mofokeng, J. T., & Tlou, K. N. (2022). Factors contributing to gender-based violence and femicide at higher education institutions: A comparative perspective. Ponte Academic Journal, 78(9). https://doi.org/10.21506/j.ponte.2022.9.2

Moore, P., Diliberti, M. K., Simmons, I., Schwartz, H. L., & Jackson, B. A. (2025). Safety and security at institutions of higher education: Understanding trends, practices, and future needs. Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center, RAND Corporation. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2999-1.html

Munyoro, A., & Mavhungu, C. (2022). Mental health and historical trauma among social workers working with victims of violent crime in South Africa. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 32(3), 308–324. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2021.1896408

Ndlela, Q. G. M. (2020). Crime in South Africa. Crime, Law and Social Change, 1(1). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338612050_Crime_in_South_Africa

Ormston, R., Spencer, L., Barnard, M., & Snape, D. (2014). The foundations of qualitative research. In J. Ritchie, J. Lewis, C. McNaughton Nicholls, & R. Ormston (Eds.), Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers (2nd ed., pp. 52–55). Sage.

Owusu, G. A., Akoto, J. S., & Abnory, M. M. (2016). Is our safety and security guaranteed on University of Cape Coast campus? Undergraduates’ students’ perceptions. International Journal of Higher Education, 5(4), 75–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v5n4p75

Petty, T. (2014). Motivating first-generation students to academic success and college completion. College Student Journal, 48(1), 133–140. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A377286769/AONE?u=anon~d9820534&sid=googleScholar&xid=bff8d71e

Potter, S., Howard, R., Murphy, S., & Moynihan, M. M. (2018). Long-term impacts of college sexual assaults on women survivors’ educational and career attainments. Journal of American College Health, 66(6), 496–507. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1440574

Rai, N., & Thapa, B. (2015). A study on purposive sampling method in research. Kathmandu School of Law.

Republic of South Africa. (2025, May 23). Minister Senzo Mchunu: Release of 2024/2025 fourth quarter crime statistics. https://www.gov.za/news/speeches/minister-senzo-mchunu-release-20242025-fourth-quarter-crime-statistics-23-may-2025

Rogers, H., & Maytan, M. (2019). Mindfulness for the next generation: Helping emerging adults manage stress and lead healthier lives. Oxford University Press.

Ross, E., & Rasool, S. (2019). ‘You go to campus with fear and come back with fear’: University students’ experiences of crime. South African Crime Quarterly, 68, 7–20. https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3108/2019/i68a4895

Roulston, K., & Choi, M. (2018). Qualitative interviews. In U. Flick (Ed.), The SAGE handbook of qualitative data collection (pp. 233–249). Sage.

Rühs, F., Greve, W., & Kappes, C. (2017). Coping with criminal victimization and fear of crime: The protective role of accommodative self-regulation. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 22(2), 359–377. https://doi.org/10.1111/lcrp.12106

Sadowski, M. (Ed.). (2021). Adolescents at school: Perspectives on youth, identity, and education. Harvard Education Press.

Sepadi, M. M., & Chadyiwa, M. (2025, October 1). South African students still don’t feel safe on campus: How protection can be stepped up. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/south-african-students-still-dont-feel-safe-on-campus-how-protection-can-be-stepped-up-262930

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2019). The impact of crime, including trauma. https://www.unodc.org/e4j/en/crime-prevention-criminal-justice/module-11/key-issues/2–the-impact-of-crime-including-trauma.html

Vehovar, V., Toepoel, V., & Steinmetz, S. (2016). Non-probability sampling. In C. Wolf, D. Joye, T. W. Smith, & Y. Fu (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of survey methodology (Vol. 1, pp. 329–345). Sage.

Westbrook, D., Kennerley, H., & Kirk, J. (2011). An introduction to cognitive behaviour therapy: Skills and applications. Sage.

White, R. (2019). Epistemic permissiveness. In M. Steup, J. Turri, & E. Sosa (Eds.), Contemporary epistemology: An anthology (pp. 267–276). Wiley-Blackwell.

Whissemore, T. (2015). Clery Act changes the landscape of campus safety. Community College Journal, 56(3), 4–5. https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/clery-act-changes-landscape-campus-safety/docview/1776144425/se-2

Wilcox, P., Land, K. C., & Hunt, S. A. (2003). Criminal circumstance: A dynamic multi-contextual criminal opportunities theory. Aldine de Gruyter.

Winterdyk, J. A. (Ed.). (2017). Crime prevention: International perspectives, issues, and trends. CRC Press.

Cite this article:

Ndhlovu, G.N. & Hendricks, E.A. (2026). The nature and impact of crime experienced by social work students at a previously disadvantaged university. International Review of Social Sciences Research, 6(3), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.53378/irssr.353371