Afrobarometer Survey: the Strongest Feeling of Insecurity in Rural and Urban Areas

Visitor deep into the psyche of the Mauritian native of Mauritius and Rodrigues, a public opinion poll commissioned by Afrobarometer and directed by StraConsult between January and February 2012 has revealed its secrets on insecurity and crime. This plague is highest rated list of the main concerns of Mauritians to unemployment, poverty and the problem of supplying drinking water.

These results were made public this Thursday, June 7, 2012 at Le Labourdonnais Waterfront Caudan by Amedee Darga, director StraConsult.

The fifth report of this survey includes some surprises. For example, the feeling of insecurity among those surveyed in rural areas is more consistent than among urban residents. Thus, the question of determining the number of people who have flying experience at home, 12% of the experiments reported were observed in people living in rural areas against 10% among urban dwellers.

When asked how often they or a family member does not feel safe walking in their neighbourhood, only 20% of respondents indicated that they felt a sense of insecurity over the past twelve months.

This sentiment is more prevalent among people living in rural areas than in urban residents. The level of concern among the first group is 21% while only 17% in the other.

The survey also looked at the fear experienced by respondents in relation to potential risks of aggression that may take place at home. Only 12% of those surveyed said feed such a feeling. Again, on this level, people living in rural areas are worse off than city dwellers. Indeed, 16% of those claiming fear aggression in their own homes are in rural areas. In town, this figure is only 7%. In short, the perception of insecurity is higher in rural than in urban areas.

Note however that in general terms, the positive outweighs the negative. Because in terms of fear of aggression at home, on a sample of 100 respondents respectively in urban and rural areas, 93 of respondents living in cities and 84 rural say they feel no fear of this type. The observation of this survey focuses on this portion of respondents who say they are afraid.

The pole of the Afrobarometer survey focused on insecurity and crime puts his finger on a problem that police authorities are advised to consider. When asked to trace the reason why most people do not report crimes such as theft or assault to police, 32% of those surveyed say it is because they fear retaliation by the from their abusers.

StraConsult, a Mauritian firm specializing in consulting service independent of studies of governance and management in collaboration with African partners overall does not want the results of this survey are sleeping in a drawer. "We had a briefing with representatives of diplomatic corps in Mauritius. We intend to maintain public institutions including the police about it. Police have already expressed interest in our numbers, " informs Amédée Darga.