Young women frequently experience sexual harassment and are fearful of sexual assault. Young men are most fearful of physical assault from particular sub-groups of other young men. Many of them still go out at night and use public transport. Women learn from an early age about the risks of sexual assault and harassment and are most afraid of these crimes. This fear is rational in the context of lifetime experiences of sexual harassment.
Older people are actually less fearful of crime than was previously thought.
They are afraid of property crime and home invasions, but are less afraid of physical assault. This is partly because they tend to stay at home after dark. Older people are frequently more concerned for young people than of them. Parents have stronger fears for their children than for themselves. The media is not necessarily as influential as previously thought in increasing fear of crime.