Perceptions of community safety and social activity participation among youth in South Africa

• Published in: PloS one 2018-05, Vol.13 (5), p.e0197549
• Main Authors: De Wet, Nicole, Somefun, Oluwaseyi, Rambau, Ndivhuwo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Activism; Adolescent; Aggression; AIDS; Alcohol; Behavior; Biology and Life Sciences; Child; Child development; Children & youth; Clubs; Community involvement; Community participation; Community relations; Control theory; Crime; Crime - statistics & numerical data; Criminal statistics; Criminology; Demographic aspects; Demography; Economic development; Economic growth; Education; Extracurricular activities; Female; Females; Gender; Girls; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Lifestyles; Male; Males; Medicine and Health Sciences; Murders & murder attempts; Participation; People and places; Perceptions; Physical Sciences; Population; Public Health; Regression analysis; Religion; Research and Analysis Methods; Risk Factors; Safety; Sex discrimination; Singing; Social aspects; Social Behavior; Social Participation; Social Perception; Social Sciences; South Africa; Sports - statistics & numerical data; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Survival; Teenagers; Victims of crime; Violence; Violence - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult; Youth
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197549

Crime and violence causes massive disruptions to the health, survival and development of populations. In South Africa, incredibly high rates of crime and violence are noted. The country also has a very large youth population whose health, survival and development are key to economic growth. Among other efforts to encourage healthy youth development and the promotion of social activities such as sports, youth groups, choirs and so forth. This study examines the relationship between perceived community safety and the uptake of social activities among youth in South Africa. This paper uses data from the National Youth Lifestyle Survey (2008) with an unweighted sample of 4,391 youth (age12-22 years old). Using chi-square and logistic regression analysis the association between perceived community safety and social activity participation are tested. The results indicate that youth participation in social activities in South Africa is high (55% of males and 45% of females). Among males, the most prominent activity is sports (51.8%), while for females there is high participation in choir and singing groups (55.68%). More than 50% of males perceive their communities as risky while less than half of females feel the same. Male youth are more likely to participate in social activities if they perceive their communities as risky (OR = 1.04). Females (OR = 0.83), youth have a negative view of their future (OR = 0.43) are less likely to participate in social activities. There exists an association between youth's perception of community safety and their participation in social activities. Whether sports and groups are protective or enabling environments for youth from unsafe communities is moot. More in-depth research is needed on why youth participate in these clubs and groups to truly understand the role of social activities in South African societies.