Gendered risk-behaviour, safety and victimisation on South African campuses

Student well-being has become a critical priority in higher education, as universities have an obligation to provide safe and supportive learning environments. Despite these expectations, students remain vulnerable to various forms of victimisation, including theft, harassment, stalking, online abuse and physical or sexual violence. Such experiences negatively affect students’ mental health, academic engagement and sense of belonging within the university environment. This study examines students' perceptions and experiences of victimisation within South African higher education institutions with a particular focus on gender differences in fear of crime, safety perceptions and exposure to victimisation. The Routine Activity Theory and Ferraro’s “shadow of sexual assault” hypothesis theoretically ground the study to uncover gendered differences in fear and victimisation. The study employed a cross-sectional quantitative survey design. A purposive sample of undergraduate students (N=1014) from four South African universities participated in the study through self-administered questionnaires distributed both online and in paper format. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS to explore patterns and associations between gender victimisation experiences, perceptions of crime and safety. The findings reveal significant gender differences across several dimensions of safety and victimisation. Female students reported higher levels of fear of crime, particularly regarding sexual assault, mugging, and theft and felt less safe than male students, especially at night. The findings also show higher rates of certain victimisation experiences among females, including theft of personal property, stalking, and online harassment. This study recommends targeted institutional strategies to enhance campus safety and promote student well-being.