1. Background
An online survey was run on the Glasgow pages of the Young Scot web portal from 2 November to 12 December 2007. There were 72 respondents, although not all answered every question. In addition, three GYSC Champions completed a paper version of the survey in November 2007, bringing the total number surveyed to 75.
2. Age spread of respondents
Respondents ranged in age from 11 to 19. The majority (55%) of respondents were aged 14 to 16.
3. General safety questions
When asked how safe they felt when out and about in Glasgow, most respondents (47, 63%) replied “Usually OK”, while 14 (19%) said that they were “Sometimes Uneasy”. At the extremes, only four (5%) said that they felt “Very Safe” and only five (7%) replied “Often feel unsafe”. An additional five (7%) gave no answer. Respondents were asked to say which areas felt safest and which areas felt less safe, and to give reasons for their answers. The most frequently quoted “safe areas” were the areas in which the young person lived/attended school, the city centre and busy, well lit areas in general. Examples of the reasons given for these answers are reproduced below:
Safe area = where I live/attend school
“Because I know I’m in a secure place.”
“As I know most of the people who live round the area.”
“I feel like if I need help it won’t be far way.”
“Because I’m close to home.”
“Because I have stayed in that area for a long time and I feel it’s quite safe.”
Safe area = city centre
“A lot of police and people.”
“It is busiest there with more people around so the chances are smaller of anyone attacking you.”
“Always busy.”
“Lights and lots of security.”
Safe area = busy, well lit areas
“Because if something happened there is always someone to witness it.”
“Because if somebody does attack you or something then there will be people to help.”
“Less chance of trouble breaking out, because of the chance of getting seen.”
“No one will try anything.”
The most frequently cited “unsafe areas” were the city centre, especially at night, dark/quiet areas, and places the respondents were not familiar with. Some of the reasons given for these answers are below:
Unsafe area = city centre, especially at night
“People are drunk and cranky.”
“Because there is a lot of people and a lot of traffic.”
“There are lots of gangs.”
“People are usually drunk.”
“Because you hear of people getting attacked.”
Unsafe area = dark/quiet areas
“Less people to help if needed.”
“For obvious reasons, I am more likely to be a victim of crime.”
“More likely to be attacked in a less crowded place.”
“Dark – no lights – scary. Someone in the gang may hurt you.”
Unsafe area = places I’m not familiar with
“Because I might get lost and I don’t know many people from that area.”
“Because I’m not used to it.”
“Think in areas where you’re not known, you can be targeted.”
“Don’t know anyone.”
4. City centre safety
Respondents were asked whether they felt safe in the city centre at any time, only during the day, or not at all. At 49, the majority (65%) said they felt safe only during the day, while 17 (23%) said they felt safe at any time, two (3%) replied “not at all”, and seven (9%) gave no answer. When asked to explain their answer, those who said they only felt safe during the day were most likely to attribute this to “drunks” being around at night – 21 out of 49 respondents mentioned this as a reason: no other answer occurred as commonly. The most frequently cited reason for feeling safe in the city centre at any time was that there are always lots of people around – eight out of 17 gave this answer. The two respondents who said they did not feel safe in the city centre at all stated that: “crime and violence can happen at any time, some people just don’t care anymore” and “because you never know who could be waiting behind a corner”.
5. How to improve safety
Respondents were asked what should be done to improve safety in the city. The most commonly occurring answers can be broadly categorised as follows:
More police on patrol - cited 43 times
Better lighting - cited 13 times
More CCTV - cited 9 times
More activities for young people - cited 5 times
Finally, respondents were asked whether a place where young people could meet in the city centre, like a Youth Café, would help them to feel safe. A total of 53 (71%) replied yes, while 15 (20%) said no, and seven (9%) gave no answer.
6. Summary and conclusions
This survey was aimed at discovering how safe or unsafe young Glaswegians feel in their city, and why. Most respondents said they felt “Usually OK” when out and about in Glasgow, and areas in which they felt most safe were those in which they lived/attended school, the city centre and busy, well lit areas. The city centre was also cited by many as somewhere they felt unsafe, particularly at night. In addition, respondents reported feeling unsafe in dark/quiet areas and unfamiliar places. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there was some mention of gang violence and territorialism among the responses.
The majority of respondents said they felt safe in the city centre only during the day, and a large proportion attributed this to “drunks” being around after dark. This highlights the vulnerability felt by young people to adults they perceive to be under the influence of alcohol, “drunk, senseless and dangerous” as one respondent wrote. When asked how to improve safety in Glasgow, most suggestions contained references to an increase in the number of police on patrol. The vast majority of respondents agreed that a place where young people could meet in the city centre, like a Youth Café, would help them to feel safe.