International college students less at risk of violent crimes
A new research suggests that international students who attend universities in the US, especially females, are less likely to experience violent, non-sexual victimization compared to their domestic counterparts. This is due, in part, to their lifestyle and activity choices.
Criminologists from Georgia State University and the University of West Georgia used data from the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment II to assess the extent to which international college students experience violent victimization, comparing their risk to that for domestic students. They also examined whether gender moderated this relationship for the international students.
“We found that, collectively, the international student’s college experience is different than that of students from the United States,” according to Leah E. Daigle, criminologist and principal investigator. “International students, both male and female, are less likely to enter as first-year freshmen and report lower rates of drug use, binge drinking and having a disability.” Daigle and her colleagues found that female international students were significantly less likely to be victims of violent, non-sexual crimes.
Newfound freedoms and unstructured time, noticeable routines and under-developed executive cognitive functioning combined with a culture centered on partying help create an at-risk environment, the researchers said.Simple assault is the most frequent type of violent crime against college students in the United States, accounting for 63 percent of violent non-sexual victimizations.
College activities that include binge drinking, going out at night, frequenting bars and parties, and recreational drug use expose students to risky situations that may increase their chance of being victims of crime.
Our research shows female international students are potentially more protected from violence than other students,” Daigle said. “It also shows that this group of students may be more isolated from the typical college experience that produces victimization, which is instructive.”
Source: EurekAlert
