Thursday, May 25 th, 2022

U. E. P. Colegio Simón Bolívar II

Members: Pineda Gabriel, Stibelj Enrique, García Andrés, Rosario Andrea,

Adriana Zuleta

Key words: safety; community; injuries; violence; prevention; health promotion

How to keep ourselves safe in the community?

Safety in the community

How safe do you feel when you leave your house? Your physical safety, your ability to meaningfully
connect with the people around you, and the environment can play a role in how safe you feel in your
community. Factors such as crime, traffic, infrastructure, air and water safety, and access to green space
all play a role.

Some of the hazards in your community may be real and others may just be perceived, but both play a
role in your well-being.

Perceptions of community safety, whether real or perceived, impact the way people feel and interact in
their community. Community safety is not just about injury prevention and crime prevention; it is about
building strong, cohesive, vibrant, and participatory communities.

Community-based safety promotion has been shown to be an effective intervention in both promoting
safety and reducing the burden of injury. This is accomplished through significant community
development and engagement with coalitions and programs such as fall prevention, traffic safety,
workplace safety, safer public places, water safety, and outdoor/sports safety.

METHODS

Currently in many communities we do not feel safe, for this we use the criteria based on the OMS
international safe communities

As of 2002, communities must meet six criteria to be designated as an OMS International Safe
Community, described below.

In the safe community’s scenario, communities must have:

1. An infrastructure based on collaborations and partnerships, governed by a group of representatives

from various sectors charged with promoting safety in the community.

2. Long-term, sustainable programs that include both genders and all ages, settings, and situations.
3. Programs that target high-risk groups and environments, and programs that promote the safety of
vulnerable groups.

4. Programs that document the frequency and causes of injuries and violence.

5. Evaluation measures to assess the programs, processes and effects of change.

6. Continued participation in national and international networks of safe communities.

RESULTS-DATA

According to OMS figures for the year 2000, in the Latin American and Caribbean region, there were
7.82% of mortality and 7.95% of the burden of disease produced by injuries of external cause
throughout the world.

In Venezuela, violence is a generalized phenomenon. In particular, the homicide rate in the country is
among the highest in the world. In 2019, the estimated homicide rate was 60.3 per 100,000 population
(Insight Crime, 2019). Homicides are concentrated in a few urban “hot spots”: about half of homicides
occur in just 20% of municipalities. However, in recent years, criminal activity has also increased
significantly in rural areas near the borders, where illegal economies have flourished. Thus, for example,
the homicide rate in the municipalities located in the border states, according to the last official report
of 2016, was between two and four times higher than the national average.

The OMS Safe Communities Model has proven to be an effective measure for the prevention of injuries
and violence in the communities in which it has been instituted. This methodology is in operation in
diverse contexts, such as the Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland) with a high level of
development and developing nations such as South Africa, Vietnam and Iran, with very different cultural
characteristics. Although the While most safe communities are in developed countries, this
methodology takes into account the limited availability of resources in communities in developing
countries.

This model has been established in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and Oceania, but until last year
no safe community had been designated in the Latin American and Caribbean region.
DISCUSSION:

Having seen the previous data, we observe that Latin America and Venezuela are not safe communities,
individuals are afraid of being subjected to violence (kidnapping, robbery, rape), this has forced many to
emigrate, since people prefer to live in a safe community because an accredited safe community
benefits from more than just injury prevention, community safety management systems, and crime
prevention, they see: A reduction in the number and cost of injuries and violence. A promotion of health
and safety in your community. A sense of community pride. A demonstration that they can make a
difference at the local level.

CONCLUSION:

All approaches to improving safety in our communities must be based on building relationships and
learning from residents. Community engagement approaches should give residents, especially youth,
the opportunity to voice their concerns and ideas for making their neighborhoods safer.

Fortunately, there are many ways you can take charge of your personal safety in your neighborhood, as
well as work to make your community safer.

1. Make smart decisions

Of course, whether or not you live in a high-crime area, you can benefit from exercising caution, such as:

• Do not walk alone at night

• Locking your car and your house

• Pay attention to where your children are when they play outside.

• Close curtains or blinds at night

2. Know your neighbors

3. Improve the neighborhood

Making social connections with neighbors can help you and others feel safer but working to improve the
community you live in can make everyone safer. Here are some ideas:

• Ask for help to fix what's broken, from burned-out streetlights to branches blocking the street. Your
public works department is a good place to start.

• Advocate for better infrastructure, such as additional stop signs or a bike lane.

• Join a neighborhood group or volunteer with a local organization dedicated to improving the lives of
everyone in the community.

The results for having a safe community is that people who feel safe in their neighborhoods experience
better mental health than those who do not, in addition, this perception of safety can increase the
impact of other activities, such as physical activity and social connections, in mental health.
References

Balance de InSight Crime de los homicidios en 2019. (n.d.). Observatorio Venezolano de Violencia.
Retrieved May 30, 2022, from https://observatoriodeviolencia.org.ve/news/balance-de-insight-crime-
de-los-homicidios-en-2019/ [ Consulted: 23 de Mayo de 2022]

Be Safe in Your Community | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing. (n.d.).
Www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu. https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/be-safe-your-community
[ Consulted: 23 de Mayo de 2022]

Benefits of Being a Safe Community — PPSCN. (2017). Ppscn.org.

http://www.ppscn.org/joining-ppscn/benefits-of-being-a-safe-community [ Consulted: 23 de Mayo de
2022]

Informe Anual de Violencia 2019. (2019, December 27). Observatorio Venezolano de Violencia.
https://observatoriodeviolencia.org.ve/news/informe-anual-de-violencia-2019/ [ Consulted: 23 de Mayo
de 2022]

SCA - Frequently Asked Questions about Safe Communities. (n.d.). Safecommunitiesamerica.org.

Retrieved May 23, 2022, from http://safecommunitiesamerica.org/index.php/about-safe-communities/
safe-communities-faq [ Consulted: 28 de Mayo de 2022]

Three Ways to Build a Safer Community | Healthy Places by Design. (n.d.). Retrieved May 23, 2022, from
https://healthyplacesbydesign.org/three-ways-to-build-a-safer-community/ [ Consulted: 28 de Mayo de
2022]