The importance of safety

The horrific murders of Sarah Everard, Bibba Henry and Nicole Smallman in London have heightened concerns among women, and especially younger women, about their safety outside the home. Other murders across the age groups have also been reported in the media-in part, because they make ‘news’ and increase the circulation of printed media and hits on online news sites. Although such tragic incidents are rare with men (25–34 year olds being at most risk) (Statista, 2022), it is not surprising that people of all ages express concerns, because humans are motivated to seek safety, as ‘safety needs’ come second only to physiological needs in the hierarchy of needs (see Maslow, 1943). The police-recorded crime data were significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions, with fraud and computer misuse offences increasing substantially (Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2022). More recent data indicate that violence and sexual offences are returning and exceeding pre-pandemic levels, while robbery and theft offences have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels (ONS, 2022).