Community Violence Exposure in University Students

This study validates a survey for community violence exposure, provides details of exposure in young adults, and determines psychological effects. 518 university students completed the Survey of Exposure to Community Violence (SECV) and questionnaires regarding trauma and socioemotional outcomes. Participants were divided into high, moderate, or low witnessing and victimization groups. Results showed SECV validity, with violent trauma more frequently reported in moderate/high victimization groups. 93.2% of respondents reported witnessing and 76.4% being victimized by violence. The most frequent events involved being hit, threatened, or seeing a gun/knife used as a weapon. The most frequent perpetrators were non-family members, except for domestic violence. The most frequent location was near home, although school was noted for peer victimization. High-exposure groups reported greater depression, aggression, interpersonal problems, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. This replicates and extends previous findings on the prevalence of violence exposure and its negative effects in today's young adults.