Is Scotland a violent country??

[Earlybird]

From the Times Online:

A UNITED Nations report has labelled Scotland the most violent country in the developed world, with people three times more likely to be assaulted than in America.
England and Wales recorded the second highest number of violent assaults while Northern Ireland recorded the fewest.

The study, based on telephone interviews with victims of crime in 21 countries, found that more than 2,000 Scots were attacked every week, almost ten times the official police figures. They include non-sexual crimes of violence and serious assaults.

Violent crime has doubled in Scotland over the past 20 years and levels, per head of population, are now comparable with cities such as Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg and Tbilisi.

The attacks have been fuelled by a ?booze and blades? culture in the west of Scotland which has claimed more than 160 lives over the past five years. Since January there have been 13 murders, 145 attempted murders and 1,100 serious assaults involving knives in the west of Scotland. The problem is made worse by sectarian violence, with hospitals reporting higher admissions following Old Firm matches.

Read the rest here:

www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1786945,00.html

Can this be right? Do those of you who live in Scotland feel anxious about violent crime?

I thought this was a bit ridiculous when I saw it on the news this morning!

Depends what they class as violent crime? Friends getting too drunk and fighting after closing.... if thats lumped in there with violent crime then I can understand why the figures are showing this! But is it really on par with what Expat is sayin??? Does anyone in Scotland know of ANYONE held up at knifepoint (never mind gunpoint)?????

I'm a bit dubious about this.

i do think scotland has a problem with drinking - its a big thing here - everything is associated with drinking - every time you go to visit someone you get offered a drink (or is it just me?)

in some parts of glasgow there are areas that are 'dry' ie no pubs for miles (dont know if other cities have areas like this or not) because of the trouble they can cause

but i do not believe for a second that scotland is more violent/has more murders per head of population than, say, south africa

Bugger, I was going to retire to Scotland for some peace and quiet after a lifetime in London. Will have to save harder and go to Rio or Tbilisi instead! Do they sell Orkney Fudge there though?

lol kbear

we could arrange homesick parcels for you

Message withdrawn

Nailpolish - Its just you! I only get offered Tea/Coffee if I visit people..... except when I go to Liverpool, drinks all round there!

I've been on many a night out in Glasgow/Edinburgh/Falkirk/Stirling.... but by far theee most violence I've ever seen have been on the 4 or so occasions when I've been out in Bootle! I was ed

we have friends in bolton who we visit quite often, and they are always amazed at how much drink me and dh comsume on a night out (we are well hard)

we drink them all under the table

You scare me NP.

Cor NP, they drink a fair bit in Bolton too!!!!

they must be in the minority then, cos im just a wee thing, honest

does anyone agree with me about the drinking though? if you say "im not drinking" you get cajouled into having one? its like, they take offence if you dont have one?

lol NP - Much the same in Ireland!

When we visited relatives in Ireland they were offended if you didn't have a glass of brandy/whisky at 9.30am!

I drink far less here than I did in the US. It could be b/c we only go out twice a year, and then it's to a restaurant for a meal. Too skint to go to pubs and clubs.

Agree with you Nailpolish. Ever see the "go on, take a drink" sketch on Chewin the Fat? That would be funny if it weren't so true!! I used to take my car if I didn't want to drink so that at least I had an excuse. It's terrible that I should feel that I need one. (An excuse that is - not a drink )

I lived in Edinburgh for 14 years and never felt in danger there however it seems that every weekend there is a murder or serious assault in Glasgow or the surrounding area. Seems that we have all been tarred with the same brush.

I now live in West Lothian and haven't seen any trouble, although the town I live in doesn't have the best reputation. Saying that, I haven't set foot in any of the pubs and stay in on orange march days.....

Blimey Lizzylou Wherein Ireland are you visiting? all I ever get is a cuppa tea. Im obviously going to the wrong houses. EVERYONE I know in Ireland is in the running to be the next Mrs Doyle So am I for that matter

West Lothian is a busy place then. Unfortunately there are some towns who associate themselves more with Glasgow than Edinburgh which is nearer. This means the whole sectarian violence as well. A police officer once explained to me that the people see the town I live as the "last outpost" and it gets described as a piano town. Expecting to see Clint Eastwood any minute.

QoQ I am 33 so was a teen in the late 80s but what I meant about the rolling about drunk is that it is more aggressive drunk now than tee-hee tipsy. If you see what I mean.

QueenofQuotes - I chucked my first boyfriend cause he snogged almost a complete stranger in St Cuthbert's graveyard!!! It wasn't you was it?! I ask cause I think the offending snoggee was at boarding school. (Would have been early 1980s???) How weird would that be????

TBH I'm a bit shocked about this report. I've lived most of my life in either Glasgow or Edinburgh and think the violence, where it exists, is very localised - like anywhere. IE you know the places to avoid and would be very unlucky to get into trouble everywhere else.

I know that personal experience is almost as bad as statistic for being hugely skewed but I don't know anyone who has ever been attacked/held up/mugged in Edinburgh - AM SURE IT HAPPENS THOUGH! My granny was in a bank when it was held up (in Glasgow)....

I think binge drinking is a problem. I quite often get offered glasses of wine if I visit someone for an evening (especially at my mums!) but it is usually just 2/3 glasses, nothing major.

Okay okay I lie. One of my history teachers was jailed for molesting teenage boys, released and then murdered and cut up into 6 pieces by his ex cell mate... but I didn't really know him...

What I don't get is the violence after drinking. I used to booze up it hard in the US. I never thought of arguing and getting into a fight, b/c over there it means you WILL be arrested, taken to a detox centre (which you have to pay for, about £250), plus a fine and court date. They don't just let you go over there, they book you and make your life hell. And God forbid someone get hurt, b/c then you're going to be facing some serious charges.

"QueenofQuotes - I chucked my first boyfriend cause he snogged almost a complete stranger in St Cuthbert's graveyard!!! It wasn't you was it?! I ask cause I think the offending snoggee was at boarding school. (Would have been early 1980s???) How weird would that be????"

Phew - not me - I was in Edinburgh from 1992-1997 - and the 'incident' would have been around 1996. I spent many nights drunkedly walking home in Edinburgh and never once had, or saw, any trouble.

Weesaidie - I remember that case. You're in Edinburgh, right?

Drugs are also a major factor in many Cities abd towns. Much bigger than sectarianism even in Glasgow I would think!

weesaidie, was that the murder in Merchiston? (Next door to our friends, teacher from JGHS?).

I agree with everyone, I feel perfectly safe in Edinburgh most of the time. I always get the impression from the local news that most knife crime is in and around Glasgow. I wonder how much difference it would make to the figures if Glasgow was omitted? (sorry to all Glaswegians, obviously )

Scotland is no more violent than anywhere else in the Uk. I am Scottish but live in England - there have been lots of murders in Norwich in the 5 years we have lived here - but rarely do they make national news. Scotland will always be "home" to me, although the chances of moving back nowadays are slim.