Safety
Perceptions of safety
The wellbeing of individuals may be affected not only as a result of direct experience of harm but also as a result of a fear of harm. Individuals’ perceptions of safety involves generalised judgements about the chance of injury or loss [9].
Different circumstances, times of day, and location factors tend to influence individuals’ perceptions of safety. Perceptions of safety are particularly sensitive to the physical environment (e.g., one’s home vs. public places) because these physical environmental factors are tangible to residents. Fear of crime may cause some people to restrict the choices they make about how to lead their lives, such as avoiding certain areas or avoiding going out at night [9,10]. The fear of crime may have more effect on some residents than actual crime and may have wider impacts on social relations [2].
This indicator presents the proportion of those 18 years and over reporting that they feel fairly or very safe in four different situations: being in their own home after dark, walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark, or walking in their city/town centre during the day, and the city/town centre after dark. This question was first included in the Canterbury Wellbeing Survey in 2018.
In own home after dark
The figure shows that almost all respondents (91.3%) felt fairly safe or very safe in their own home after dark, in 2022 (although statistically significantly lower than in 2019, 95.1%).
Walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark
The figure shows that approximately two-thirds (61%) of respondents felt fairly safe or very safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark, in 2022 (although notably and statistically significantly lower than the 2020 result of 70.7%).
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre during the day
The figure shows that most respondents (88.1%) felt fairly safe or very safe in the city/town centre during the day, in 2022 (although notably and statistically significantly lower than the 2020 result, 93.9%).
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre after dark
The figure shows that 4 in 10 respondents felt fairly safe or very safe in the city/town centre after dark, in 2022 (although notably and statistically significantly lower than the 2020 result, 56%).
In own home after dark
The figure shows a clear pattern whereby Māori respondents generally reported lower levels of perceived safety (proportion feeling fairly or very safe) than European and Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents across the time series shown. In 2020 and 2022, a statistically significantly lower proportion of Māori respondents reported feeling fairly or very safe in their own homes after dark than both European respondents and Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents (for 2022, 85%, 92%, and 89.4%, respectively).
Walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark
The figure shows a general pattern whereby Māori respondents reported lower levels of feeling fairly or very safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark than European and Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents, across the time series shown. In 2022, a statistically significantly lower proportion of Māori respondents reported feeling fairly or very safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark compared with European respondents and Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents (50.6%, 61%, and 63.7%, respectively).
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre during the day
The figure shows a general pattern whereby Māori respondents reported lower levels of feeling fairly or very safe in the city/town centre during the day than European and Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents, across the time series shown. In 2022, a statistically significantly lower proportion of Māori respondents reported feeling fairly or very safe in the city/town centre during the day compared with Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents but not European respondents (83.9%, 92.3%, and 88%, respectively).
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre after dark
The figure shows generally similar proportions of Māori, European, and Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in the city/town centre after dark, in greater Christchurch, over the time series shown (38%, 39.5%, and 47.1% in 2022, respectively).
In own home after dark
The figure shows generally similar proportions of respondents in the middle age groups reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in their own home after dark, in greater Christchurch. While the youngest respondents (18–24 years) have generally reported lower levels of perceived safety (proportion feeling fairly or very safe) than the older age groups (18–24 years, 87.9%; 65–74 years, 93.9%, in 2022), the differences are not statistically significant at any timepoint.
Walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark
The figure shows a pattern of generally lower proportions of respondents reporting feeling fairly or very safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark, for the two oldest age groups (65–74 years, 50.6% and 75+ years, 41.6%, in 2022) and the youngest age group (18–24 years, 53.4%, in 2022) compared with the middle age groups (25–34 years, 63.6%; 35–49 years, 67.1%; and 50–64 years, 67.6%, in 2022). The proportion of respondents in the oldest age group reporting feeling fairly or very safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark was statistically significantly lower than for the middle three age groups at the 2019, 2020, and 2022 timepoints.
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre during the day
The figure shows a pattern of generally similar proportions of respondents, reporting feeling fairly or very safe in the city/town centre during the day, across the age groups shown (except for the 75+ years group). Perception of safety in the city/town centre during the day for respondents aged over 75 years has been declining steadily over the time series shown and was statistically significantly lower than the younger and middle age groups in 2019, 2020, and 2022 (18–24 years, 88.1%; 25–34 years, 90.8%; 35–49 years, 89.9%; 50–64 years, 88.9%; and 75+ years, 77.7%, in 2022). The difference between the 75+ years age group and the 64 to 74 years age group was statistically significant in 2020 but not in 2022 (65–74 years, 85.9% in 2022).
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre after dark
The figure shows a pattern of generally similar proportions of respondents, reporting feeling fairly or very safe in the city/town centre after dark, across the age groups shown (except for the 75+ years group). Perceptions of safety in the city/town centre after dark for respondents aged 75+ years has been declining steadily over the time series shown and was statistically significantly lower than the middle age groups in 2019, 2020, and 2022 (25–34 years, 43.6%; 35–49 years, 44.7%; 50–64 years, 40.6%; and 75+ years, 27.1% in 2022). Perceptions of safety in the city/town centre after dark for respondents in the 18-24 years group has declined notably (statistically significantly) between 2019 and 2022 (from a high point of 55.3% in 2019 to 35.1% in 2022).
In own home after dark
The figure shows that the proportion of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in their own home after dark, in greater Christchurch, is statistically significantly lower for females compared with males, throughout the time series (89.2% and 93.5% in 2022, respectively).
Walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark
The figure shows that the proportion of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark, in greater Christchurch, is substantially and statistically significantly lower for females compared with males, for the years shown in the time series (44.5% and 77.7% in 2022, respectively).
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre during the day
The figure shows that the proportion of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in the city/town centre during the day, in greater Christchurch, was similar for females compared with males, for the years 2018 to 2022 (86.6% and 89.8% in 2022, respectively).
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre after dark
The figure shows that the proportion of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in the city/town centre after dark, in greater Christchurch, is substantially and statistically significantly lower for females compared with males, for the years shown in the time series (27.8% and 52.9% in 2022, respectively).
In own home after dark
The figure shows that the proportion of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in their own home after dark, in greater Christchurch, generally increases with increasing annual household income. The differences between the lowest income groups and the two highest income groups are statistically significant in 2020 and 2022. In 2022, a statistically significantly smaller proportion of respondents from the <$30,000 income group (82.8%) felt fairly safe or very safe in their own home after dark compared with respondents in the $60,001 to $100,000 and $100,000+ income groups (92.2% and 94.8% respectively).
Walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark
The figure shows that the proportion of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark, in greater Christchurch, generally increases with increasing annual household income. The differences between the lowest two income groups and the highest income group are statistically significant at all points over the time series shown. In 2022, a statistically significantly smaller proportion of respondents from the <$30,000 income group (36.3%) felt fairly safe or very safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark compared with respondents in the $60,001 to $100,000 and $100,000+ income groups (62.8% and 73.0% respectively).
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre during the day
The figure shows that the proportion of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in the city/town centre during the day in greater Christchurch, generally increases with increasing annual household income. The difference between the lowest income group and the highest income group was statistically significant at all the time-points shown. In 2022, a statistically significantly smaller proportion of respondents from the <$30,000 income group (82.9%) felt fairly safe or very safe in the city/town centre during the day, compared with respondents in the $60,001 to $100,000 and $100,000+ income groups (89% and 91.6%, respectively).
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre after dark
The figure shows that the proportion of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in the city/town centre after dark, in greater Christchurch, generally increases with increasing annual household income. The differences between the lower income group and the two highest income group are statistically significant across the time series shown. In 2022, a statistically significantly smaller proportion of respondents from the <$30,000 income group (30%) felt fairly safe or very safe in the city/town centre after dark compared with respondents in the $60,001 to $100,000 and $100,000+ income groups (44.2% and 46.2% respectively).
In own home after dark
The figure shows that the proportions of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in their own home after dark, in greater Christchurch, are generally smaller for respondents with a disability or long-term health condition (irrespective of age) compared with those without a disability or long-term health condition, over the period 2018 to 2022. Between 2018 and 2020, there were statistically significantly lower proportions of respondents with a disability or long-term health condition, aged over 65 years, reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in their own home after dark compared with respondents without a disability or long-term health condition (and lower but not statistically significantly lower in 2022: 86.9% with disability aged 65yrs and over; 88.4% with disability aged under 65yrs vs. no disability 92.8%).
Walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark
The figure shows that the proportion of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark, in greater Christchurch, was statistically significantly smaller for respondents with a disability or long-term health condition (irrespective of age) compared with those without a disability or long-term health condition, over the period 2018 to 2022. In 2022, there were statistically significant differences in perceived safety (while walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark) between all three groups; those respondents with a disability or long-term health condition, aged over 65 years (35.3%), those with a disability or long-term health condition, aged under 65 years (52.1%), and those respondents without a disability or long-term health condition (65.2%).
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre during the day
The figure shows that the proportion of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in the city/town centre during the day, in greater Christchurch, was statistically significantly smaller for respondents with a disability or long-term health condition (irrespective of age) compared with those without a disability or long-term health condition, over the period 2018 to 2020 (but not statistically significantly different for the under 65 group, 86.7% vs. no disability, 90.2%, in 2022). In 2022, there was a statistically significant difference in perceived safety (when in the city/town centre during the day) between those respondents aged 65 years and over with a disability or long-term health condition, compared with those respondents without a disability or long-term health condition (69.2% and 90.2%, respectively). The decline in perception of safety for the 65 years plus disability group between 2019 and 2022 is statistically significant.
Feeling fairly or very safe in city/town centre after dark
The figure shows that the proportion of respondents reporting that they felt fairly safe or very safe in the city/town centre after dark, in greater Christchurch, was statistically significantly smaller for respondents with a disability or long-term health condition (irrespective of age) compared with those without a disability or long-term health condition, over the period 2018 to 2022 (disability or long-term health condition aged under 65 years, 34.9% and aged over 65 years, 22.8%, and for those respondents without a disability, 42.8% in 2022).
Data Sources
Source: Te Whatu Ora Waitaha - formerly the Canterbury District Health Board.
Survey/data set: Canterbury Wellbeing Survey to 2022. Access publicly available data from Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health website www.cph.co.nz/your-health/wellbeing-survey/
Source data frequency: Annually.