Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland: Monitoring Framework, 2025

14. Reduction in fear of violence in communities

Fear can be a legacy harm of violence (violence experienced either oneself and/ or by others), contributing to emotional and psychological harm at individual level, and influencing wellbeing and feelings of safety within communities.

14.1 Proportion of adults worried about being physically assaulted or attacked in the street

Figure 22: In 2023-24, worry about being physically assaulted or attacked in the street is at the lowest level since 2008-09.

Proportion of adults worried about being physically assaulted or attacked in the street, Scotland, 2008-09 to 2023-24.

Source: Scottish Government - Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023/24

The majority of adults in Scotland are not worried about being physically assaulted or attacked in the street. The 2023-24 SCJS shows that the proportion of adults worried about being physically assaulted or attacked in the street or other public place is at the lowest level since 2008-09. In 2023-24, 15% of adults in Scotland said that they were worried about it, compared to 31% in 2008-09.

When looking at the adults who are worried about being physically assaulted or attacked in the street by demographic characteristics in 2023-24 we find that:

• females were more likely to be worried than males, this gap has been consistent since 2008-09
• adults who are disabled were more likely to be worried than adults who are not disabled
• adults living in the 15% most deprived areas and urban areas were also more likely to be worried compared to the rest of Scotland and rural areas respectively

​​​​​​​14.2 Proportion of adults who thought knife carrying was common in their local area

Figure 23: The perceived prevalence of people carrying knives has been on a downward trend since 2008-09.

Proportion of adults who thought knife carrying was common in their local area, 2008-09 to 2023-24.

Source: Scottish Government - Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023/24.

The perceived prevalence of people carrying knives is down from 2008-09. In 2023-24, 13% said this was ‘very’ or ‘fairly common’, compared to 22% in 2008-09 and 10% in 2021-22, and similar to the pre-covid position in 2019-20 (12%).

When looking at the perceived prevalence of carrying knives perceptions by demographic characteristics in 2023-24 we find that:

• adults living in the 15% most deprived areas and urban areas were more likely to think this is common compared to the rest of Scotland and rural areas respectively
• there was no difference between males and females or between adults who are or are not disabled
• adults aged 60 and over were less likely to think this was common than all other age groups