Stress and coping in students exposed to crime and violence: a comparative study of students studying at campuses in South Africa, Australia and England

University life has its own stressors but does not take place in a vacuum, especially as universities are no longer homogeneous entities. Stressors exist beyond the control of the student. In South Africa, levels of urban crime and violence experienced beyond that of stable countries is a dominant stressor. The impact of non-war violence on student functioning is poorly understood. The present study investigated the extent and nature of students‘ exposure to crime and violence in South Africa, their stress and coping levels and compared the results to students in Australia and England. Students in South Africa were exposed to the most crime and violence but stress and coping levels did not notably differ across campuses. A significant difference was found however between those students exposed to crime and violence and those not exposed. It was concluded that exposure frequency or severity caused psychological sequelae regardless of the place of study.