Fear of Crime in Expatriate Australians in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam

Abstract

This qualitative study addresses the primary question of what changes, or impacts upon, fear of crime in six Australian expatriates living in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Vietnam. The research paid particular attention to the differences in fear of crime when respondents became expatriates, and the impact of incivilities and access to media. Responses indicate that after a period of adjustment, expatriates feel safer in HCMC than in Australia. Research findings support the existing fear of crime theories and highlight the importance of context in predicting the impact of such factors as media and incivilities.

Expatriate management in hostile environments from a multi-stakeholder perspective – a systematic review

“…Constraints are also noticeable outside work, and safety concerns are reported to force expatriates and their families to live a very restricted life with changes in their daily routines and safety measures implemented (Bader et al , 2016; Faeth and Kittler, 2017). Already the presence of latent threats can be enough to prompt fears of victimization (Bader et al , 2015; Bader and Berg, 2013), which often is further amplified by excessive media coverage after a violent incident but not necessarily providing an accurate picture of the actual threat (Coyne and Bell, 2012; Smiley, 2010).…”

“…However, it could have a negative effect regarding opportunities for contacting and collaborating with HCNs because they become more limited and are hindered (Smiley, 2010). In addition, the fear of victimization is often transmitted and unnecessarily amplified within the expatriate community (Coyne and Bell, 2012). However, if expatriates manage to gain trust and legitimacy among locals, this adds another layer of security and comfort because HCNs are then more likely to help them integrate (Bader and Schuster, 2015; Fee et al , 2017).…”