“You are reminded that you don’t have power”: The victimization of security guards working in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract

Security guards face victimization in the workplace as well as through the nature of their employment as first responders to criminal activity. Consequently, these risks threaten their job satisfaction, well-being, and turnover rate in the industry. Exacerbating the problem further is the dearth of scientific studies and reliable reports on the victimization of security guards specific to the South African context. Thus, the goal of the study is to explore the victimization of security guards working in Gauteng, South Africa. This paper is informed by 14 qualitative one-on-one interviews with security guards. The narrative accounts provide rich and descriptive data which were thematically analyzed. The findings suggest that security guards experience victimization in terms of their working conditions and crime victimization while on duty. Moreover, the implications of victimization are exposed. Interestingly, a recurring theme throughout the paper is the sense of powerlessness experienced by the participants as substantiated through literature. This paper makes a unique contribution to industry and academia due to the dearth of scientific studies and reports on the victimization of security guards specific to the South African context. Additionally, the paper advocates for working towards sustainable solutions through work engagement, awareness, training, and effective management strategies.