ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on actual statistics of perceived safety between rural and urban areas in order to shed light on the nature of fear among people living in rural areas. It details critical analysis of two examples of expression of fear in relation to the process of othering in the Swedish country side: Sami youth, followed by the berry pickers. Traditionally, fear of crime is an urban phenomenon and is claimed to be a function of community size: greater fear in larger towns and cities, less fear in smaller towns and rural areas. Higher rates of victimization in large cities are likely the core explanation of lower perceptions of safety. In Sweden, the National Crime Surveys have been conducted since 2006 and have shown an overall stable victimization structure. Nationwide, victimization among the elderly is relatively low. Lower perceived safety among ethnic minorities is linked to greater victimization.
