A thematic exploration of students’ perceptions of place-based risk on campus

Students routinely attend classes and activities across college campuses and are exposed to a variety of places at different times. As such, students attempt to identify cues that signal risk in certain places so that they can attempt to avoid dangerous situations and engage in self-protective behaviors. The present study focuses on undergraduate students’ perceptions of place-based risk on campus. Using responses from open-ended survey questions, we explore thematic responses surrounding risky locations on campus. Our findings suggest that several specific locations were identified as ‘risky’ and why. Implications for policy and practice are further discussed.