Perceived and Actual Risks

I preface my comments by acknowledging that I have no knowledge of or understanding of violence cross-culturally. I don’t know anything about the circumstances of the untimely deaths of local people, whether clearly by homicide or in uncertain circumstances. My comments are ethnocentric to “north of the border” generally and Canadian context in one instance.

First, I recall reading of psychology research regarding perceived risk of being a victim of non-partner violence and actual experiences of victimization. This was years ago when I was attending university. It said that the demographic group that perceived itself at least risk of being victimized was males 15-24 years. The demographic group that perceived itself at most risk of being victimized was males 65 and over years.

The reality was the opposite. Males 15-24 years were most likely to experience violent injury or death and males 65 and over were least likely to be victimized. As I have aged I have tried to keep that in mind to offset geriatric fears.

My other comment related to conversations I had with my brother-in-law who was a major crimes investigator with the RCMP. He had two children in their late teens and early 2os who were travelling internationally and extensively. I asked him whether he worried excessively about their safety. He said no.

He said that most (not all, but most) violence happens between family members and friends/associates. He said that the greatest risk for most people of violent injury or death is due to motor vehicle collisions or other accidents. He said to minimize one’s risk of violent injury or death:

(i) do not have relationships with people who are violent;
(ii) do not travel excessively by automobile;
(iii) put a priority on having a vehicle that has high safety ratings; and
(iv) drive defensively.

I try to practice those.

I found it interesting that, as a major crimes investigator he suggested that, at least in Canada, it would be more cost-effective for public safety to put more money into traffic enforcement even at the expense of major crimes policing. (Remember that he was a cop, not a sociologist.)