“I Don’t Think a Broken Spirit Can Be Quantified”: Perceptions of College Victimization and Its Consequences Among Students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

Abstract

This study investigated students’ perceptions of victimization among college students (e.g., extent, location, consequences) through eight focus groups at a large, urban Hispanic-serving institution. Understanding students’ perceptions of crime sheds light on the consequences of victimization as well as the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral impacts of the possibility of experiencing victimization. Our results yielded several key findings that warrant further discussion: (1) victimization—particularly sexual and property victimization—is an issue that many students thought about extensively and viewed as important; (2) the psychological impact of victimization and threatened sense of safety were perceived to be enduring consequences of victimization that can impact the college experience; (3) there was nuance to perceptions of “on-” versus “off-” campus victimization, with consequences carrying over to campus life even when incidents occur off campus; and (4) participants expressed both moral and conceptual issues with assigning a dollar amount to consequences of victimization. These results inform how perceptions of victimization risk and anticipated consequences shape student fears and behavior, while also highlighting key areas that universities may consider for prevention and intervention efforts.