Abstract
The increase in reports of kidnappings and abductions in the Philippines has been widely circulated on social media. Studies indicate frequent exposure to crime news significantly increases people's fear of crime. Hence, this research investigated the demographics, exposure to online kidnapping and abduction news, degree of fear of victimization, and prevention practices among students at Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU), in Magalang, Pampanga, Philippines, to determine if these news reports affect their fear and safety behaviors. The study surveyed 380 college students at PSAU using a quantitative inferential research method. Techniques such as Frequency Distribution Tables, Mean calculations, and Chi-square tests were employed for statistical analysis. Key findings indicated that most respondents were female students aged 20-21, with monthly family incomes below 20,000 pesos. A significant portion of these students frequently encountered online news about kidnappings and abductions, with 11.5% encountering such news often (five to seven days per week) and 43.5% sometimes (one to three days per week). The students displayed a substantial level of fear of becoming kidnapping and abduction victims, with a mean fear score of 3.83. Meanwhile, they adopted preventive measures like cautious information sharing, heightened vigilance, and open communication with family. The results also demonstrated that sex and exposure to online crime news are significantly related to fear of victimization. It recommends that government bodies, educational institutions, media professionals, and parents intensify their roles in educating about responsible crime news consumption and implementing effective prevention strategies to reduce people’s fear and potential victimization.
Author Information
Renz Q. Garcia, Pampanga State Agricultural University, Philippines
Erwin A. Arinas, Pampanga State Agricultural University, Philippines
Paper Information
Conference: MediAsia2023
Stream: Mass Communication
This paper is part of the MediAsia2023 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Garcia R., & Arinas E. (2023) Kidnapping and Abduction Online News Reports’ Influence on Fear of Victimization and Prevention Practices ISSN: 2186-5906 – The Asian Conference on Media, Communication & Film 2023: Official Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2186-5906.2023.13
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2186-5906.2023.13
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