Impact of community violence on the lifestyles of young adults in Mexico

Abstract

In Mexico, community violence has increased, encompassing all types of crime (assault, rape, robbery, kidnapping). The present study aims to verify how young Mexican adults have modified their lifestyles due to the insecurity of their community and to analyze if there is a relationship between direct, indirect and contextual victimization with the fact of modifying their lifestyle. An ex post facto retrospective study was carried out, with a single group and multiple measures. A sample of 1470 university students from different states of the country was applied the Scale of Victimization and the Scale of Exposure to Community Violence and an open question was asked about the activities they had stopped doing due to the insecurity of their community. More than half of the sample reports that they have stopped doing activities that they previously did (eg, going to different places) or changed the frequency with which they do it or indicates that they have modified the schedule in the realization of their activities or in the visit to places or states that it takes precautionary measures (eg, avoid unknown people, go out alone, walk as if nothing in the street, take taxis, close doors and windows). It was found that direct and indirect victimization, as well as exposure to community violence or contextual victimization are predictors of these changes in the lifestyles of young adults.