Exploring the Influence of Cultural Participation on the Subjective Well-Being of Victims of Crime in Mexico

Abstract

The influence of cultural participation (in this study, attendance, engagement, and consumption in cultural and artistic activities) on the subjective well-being of victims of crime has not been thoroughly studied. Considering the increasing incidence of crime in Mexico, for policymakers and practitioners, it is necessary to understand the strategies and adaptations that persons utilize in response to crime victimization and the effects of this on their subjective well-being. With data from the 2012 Self-reported Well-Being Survey (BIARE, n=10,654) and through a generalized structural equation modeling analysis, the main purpose of the dissertation is to understand whether cultural participation can moderate or mediate the effects of victimization on individuals’ subjective well-being. Results from the study show an overall positive influence of the cultural participation activities on the subjective well-being of victims of community and structural violence (but not of domestic violence), because, for those who reported higher levels of cultural participation, the probability of better subjective well-being was higher. This has implications for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners in the improvement of the general quality of life of crime victims