8 Oct 2004

The Dutch and British feel the most secure

British and Dutch home dwellers feel the most secure in Europe, even though the number of home break ins in these countries is above the European average. This is shown in SecurityPoint, an extensive European study presented 8 October.

SecurityPoint is an international initiative by ASSA ABLOY.

“Its aim is to increase awareness and interest in security related issues and to create a forum for professionals and private individuals,” says Bo Dankis, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY.

Home security is associated with feelings, both fear and pleasure

In total 7,000 people have been interviewed in seven European countries: Britain, France, Poland, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands. The results give a detailed picture of the feelings that people in Europe associate with their home and their home security today: feelings of safety, anxiety, fear, pride and pleasure.

The study shows that the Dutch and the British feel very safe in their homes, even though the number of break-ins in these countries is actually higher than the European average. Only 3 percent of British people and 5 percent of Dutch people feel that their home is not secure against break-in. The conclusion is that the well-known British catchphrase ‘My home is my castle’ reflects a perceived security rather than actual fact. For the French the exact opposite applies. A quarter of all French people – 25 percent – believe their home to be insecure, a higher figure than in any other country. Yet only 13 percent of the French have suffered a break-in.

What do we do after suffering a break in?

In Europe as a whole one person in five has suffered a break-in at some time, and most have then decided to upgrade their home security to prevent further break-ins. The most common response is to change the lock in the external door. It is also common to install an intruder alarm and to make windows secure. The Swedes seem to be the most unconcerned– a third of those who have suffered a break-in decide to do nothing.

 

For more information about SecurityPoint, please visit the SecurityPoint website www.securitypoint.org

SecurityPoint is an international initiative by ASSA ABLOY. Its aim is to increase awareness and interest in security related issues and to create a forum for professionals and private individuals.