Foreign fears? An exploratory study of perceptions and fear of crime amongst international students at the University of Cape Town, South Africa

This study is an exploration of the perceptions and fear of crime of a sample of international students at the University of Cape Town. By means of a questionnaire, the study revealed that all the participants considered South Africa to be a high crime society, although very few had actually experienced crime. The generators of fear were mainly from the media and others' victimisation experiences. This confirms arguments, that indirect victimisation plays a major role in increasing fear levels. It was also found that participants believed that the causes of crime mainly revolved around poverty and lack of education among the South African population. Results of this study brought insight into fear of crime generators and levels from a distinctive part of the South African society. It also shed light on other facets of the subject. Based on these findings, recommendations were made, which include the suggestion that further research into fear of crime in different communities should be made, so as to improve the understanding of particular group fears and concerns.