At a glance
Key figures — the most important numbers on this page
2024
30 %
Women 16–84 unsafe after dark
2006
≈ 13 %
NTU baseline year
Rise
×2.3
2006 → 2024
Norway 2024
12 %
SSB — comparable measure
Denmark 2024
14 %
DST
Finland 2024
12 %
Tilastokeskus
What does the data show?
Objective observations — not interpretations
- The share of Swedish women 16–84 who feel unsafe outside alone after dark has more than doubled since 2006.
- The series levelled off at ~30 % in 2022–2024 — no further rise in the last two years.
- The other Nordics have been stable at 10–14 % over the same period — the trend is not shared.
- Insecurity is highest in vulnerable residential areas and metropolitan municipalities according to Brå's regional NTU data.
Definitions
How the numbers are counted — and what they do not cover
- Unsafe outside alone after dark
- NTU question: 'Do you sometimes avoid going out alone late in the evening because of fear of assault or harassment?' Answer 'yes' among women 16–84. The measure captures perceived insecurity, not actual victimisation.Source: Brå NTU, result report 2024.
- NTU
- The Swedish Crime Survey. Brå's annual survey to about 200,000 people aged 16–84. It measures victimisation, fear, confidence in authorities and reporting propensity. The question about evening insecurity has been asked unchanged since 2006.
- Vulnerable residential areas
- Police and Brå term for geographic areas with socioeconomic challenges and elevated crime. Insecurity is over-represented in these areas, but the area concept does not measure where individuals live.Source: Brå's regional NTU results and the Police situation assessment of vulnerable areas.
- Nordic comparability
- Norway, Denmark and Finland use their own survey questions that are not identical to NTU. Brå's qualitative assessment is that they are still comparable enough to show that Sweden's level is higher. Exact figures should not be compared decimal-for-decimal.Source: Brå NTU 2024, international comparisons.
- Fear of crime (NTU)
- Separate NTU question in which respondents indicate how often they worry about being subjected to specific offences — e.g. assault, sexual offences, burglary. Fear is a broader measure than evening insecurity and can diverge from actual victimisation.Source: Brå NTU, chapter on insecurity and fear.
- Self-reported victimisation
- NTU question in which the respondent states whether they personally were subjected to specific offences (assault, threats, sexual offences, personal robbery) in the past year. Differs from police-reported offences — some incidents are never reported, others are recorded without the victim self-identifying as a crime victim.
- Reported offence
- Register data from Brå's official statistics on offences reported to the police, customs or prosecutors. The volume of reports is affected by victimisation, reporting propensity and legal definition — it is therefore not a direct measure of how many women are actually subjected to crime.
- Survey vs register
- NTU is a survey with self-reported answers weighted to the population. Brå's crime statistics are register data based on reports. The two sources answer different questions and should be read in parallel, not as the same series.This applies to every NTU measure on this page.
How to read this
Data in context
How to read this
The charts below show what the numbers say — not an interpretation. Where data point in different directions (e.g. stable trust but rising insecurity) we show both series rather than pick a narrative.
År
2024
Områden som används
60%
30 % av kvinnor 16–84 år känner sig otrygga ute ensamma sen kväll i bostadsområdet (Brå NTU 2024). Radien är en illustration av vad detta kan betyda geografiskt — inte SCB-statistik.
How to read this chart
Definition
NTU question: 'Do you sometimes avoid going out alone late in the evening because of fear of assault or harassment?' Answer 'yes' among women 16–84. Asked identically every year since 2006.
Method
Brå's National Safety Survey (NTU) — annual sample of ~200,000, weighted to the population. Nordic comparison: SSB (Norway), DST (Denmark), Tilastokeskus (Finland) — comparable but not identical wording.
What the chart shows
- Baseline 2006 (~13 %)
- Rise 2010–2018 to ~28 %
- Plateau 2022–2024 around 30 %
- Sweden clearly above the Nordics — no convergence
Limitations
- Self-report can be influenced by media coverage and public debate.
- The question measures worry, not actual victimisation — the two can diverge.
- Before 2006 no comparable Swedish series exists; older estimates are illustrative.
- Nordic comparison has small wording differences per survey.
Where research shows strong associations, they are cited. Where the evidence is uncertain or contested, this is stated. The page draws no causal conclusion beyond what the data supports.
The Nordics — same metric
How to read this chart
Definition
Share of women 16–84 feeling unsafe outside alone late at night in their neighbourhood.
Method
National safety surveys (NTU, SSB, DST, Tilastokeskus). Data points 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2024.
What the chart shows
- Sweden rises from ~18 % (2010) to 30 % (2024).
- Norway, Denmark, Finland stable 9–14 % throughout.
- The gap is Swedish — not Nordic.
Limitations
- Wording is comparable but not identical.
- Nordic surveys have different sample sizes and periodicity.
Where research shows strong associations, they are cited. Where the evidence is uncertain or contested, this is stated. The page draws no causal conclusion beyond what the data supports.
Human consequence
Persona
A woman, 22, living in a Swedish city with more than 100,000 inhabitants.
Then
- Took the last bus home from training without hesitation.
- Walked home from the bar through the city centre alone.
- Used pedestrian tunnels and parks as shortcuts.
Now
- Takes a taxi for the last kilometres or asks for a ride.
- Shares live location with a friend during the walk home.
- Avoids specific streets, stops and parks — even in daylight.
How does it look in your municipality?
NTU is broken down by municipality and area. Open the municipality tool to see the share who feel unsafe in your municipality.
Dataset
Brå NTU — women unsafe after dark 2006–2024
- N:
- 19 observations
- Last updated:
- 2025-09
Annual series since 2006; Nordic comparison from SSB, DST, Tilastokeskus.
Primary sources
Agencies and research institutions behind this page
4
agencies/institutions
3
reports & studies
4
primary datasets
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to what is most often discussed
Related topics
Logical next steps if you want to understand the background
2035
What is the human cost when nearly one in three women feels unsafe in her own neighbourhood after dark?
If the Swedish series stays on its 2006–2024 level, the share remains far above the Nordic neighbours.
Sources for this page
The data comes from official primary sources.
Brå · Annually
Nationella trygghetsundersökningen (NTU)NTU — utsatthet och otrygghet
Latest data point · Source published
Read the full investigation of how Sweden has changed.
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