NEW YORK – An estimated 70% of New York City residents say they are worried about becoming the victim of a violent crime, according to a survey published by the Siena Research Institute.
According to this study, 40% of New Yorkers said they felt “somewhat” worried about this possibility, while 30% said they felt “very worried.” A percentage that at the state level stands at 61%.
This percentage was even higher when respondents were asked for their opinion on whether crime is a serious problem in their community.
87% of New Yorkers in the Big Apple say the problem is “serious in some way” (30% of those surveyed) or “very serious” (57%).
“For New Yorkers, crime isn’t just something that happens to others in faraway places,” says Siena Institute director Don Levy, who stresses that the fact that 61% of people surveyed statewide say they worry about being a potential victim of an assault is “disturbing”.
Levy points out that 41% of New Yorkers also consider that they have never felt so concerned about their personal safety.
It also reveals that 16% of the inhabitants of the Big Apple surveyed claim to have suffered a physical assault in the last year and 38% say they have witnessed violent or threatening behavior.
The study also shows that 39% of New Yorkers have bought security cameras, 36% weapons, sprays or other objects to defend themselves against a possible attack and that 25% have attended self-defense classes.
New York, like other large American cities, experienced an increase in gun violence with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and although it has decreased in the last year, it remains at levels above 2019.
According to official data, murders in New York City in 2022 fell 10% compared to the previous year. However, there was an increase in rapes, robberies and general crime.
Statewide, overall crime increased 21% in 2022 over the prior year, from 345,020 to 417,975.
2023-07-13 20:25:46
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