Fear of Stranger Abduction
About 100 children are abducted by strangers each year, with the actual risk of a teen or child being abducted by a stranger and killed or not returned estimated at around 0.00007%, or one in 1.4 million annually. Yet 28 percent of American parents say they are “extremely worried” that their children will someday be abducted. In 2019, stranger abductions made up about .3% of missing children cases, with the vast majority of missing children being runaways.
Most missing children are runaways, and 99% of abducted children are taken by relatives, typically a noncustodial father. In roughly 19 years, the CARD Team has deployed for 225 child abductions, an average of 12 a year, even though nearly 30,000 children were reported missing in 2024.
Panic About Random Serial Killers
The Chapman University Survey reveals a disturbing disconnect between perception and reality when it comes to serial killers. Serial killings have been going down. Stranger abductions of children have been going down. Murders by strangers have been going down. However, many Americans reported fears of being the victim of crimes like murder by a stranger (33.3 percent).
Media consumption habits play a major role in this misperception. One of the reasons for this misperception is an increased dependence on social media and news sites that rely on page views and engagement for revenue. Articles with attention grabbing headlines are more likely to be shared. This creates a feedback loop where rare but dramatic crimes receive disproportionate coverage.
Terror of Public Transportation Violence
Urban dwellers often avoid public transportation due to exaggerated fears of violent crime. The violent crime rate in urban environments is more than twice as high as in rural areas, leaving city-dwelling Americans justifiably more frightened of victimization. However, perception of crime is not based on the statistics showing crime in the New York City transit system fell 2.6% in 2023 compared to 2022.
Fear of crime is higher among residents of cities (50%) than those living in suburbs (39%) or town/rural areas (30%). Yet when we examine actual crime data, most urban transit systems have seen significant improvements in safety measures and declining incident rates over recent years.
Walking Alone After Dark Anxiety
Forty percent of Americans are afraid to walk alone at night near their home, the most since 1993. This fear peaks despite U.S. violent and property crime rates each falling 71% between 1993 and 2022. The gender divide is particularly stark, with fear of walking alone at night much higher among women (53%) than men (26%).
Women are more fearful than men across nearly all contexts, even though men are more likely to be victims of robbery, aggravated assault and homicide. This demonstrates how fear doesn’t always correlate with actual victimization patterns, creating unnecessary limitations on personal freedom and mobility.
Carjacking Catastrophe Fears
Despite media attention, carjacking remains relatively uncommon. Robbery fell by 10% while carjackings (a type of robbery) decreased by 32% from 2023 to 2024. Robbery fell by 20%, while carjackings (a type of robbery) decreased by 24% in the first half of 2025 compared to 2024.
However, carjackings (+25%) were higher in 2024 than in 2019, which explains some ongoing concern. The reality is that while these crimes do occur, the statistical likelihood of becoming a carjacking victim remains extremely low for most Americans, yet many alter their driving patterns and avoid certain areas based on exaggerated perceptions of risk.
School Shooting Panic
Statistically, schools remain among the safest places for children. While it may sometimes feel as if school shootings are more common today than in the past, especially compared to the years before 2020 COVID, the data shows that schools continue to be one of the most secure environments for children. Media coverage often amplifies the perception of widespread danger, but in reality, the risks remain very low.
In 2022, high-profile active shooter incidents surged, and school shootings increased in 2023. Our findings reflect these realities: gun violence was the 5th scariest situation in our ranking, with 54 percent of Americans expressing fear about this threat. Yet the actual probability of any individual student experiencing a school shooting remains extremely low compared to other risks children face daily.
Home Invasion Horror
The only exception is Americans’ fear of having their home burglarized when they are not there, which reached its high point of 50% in 2006 and is currently 44%. This fear persists despite significant decreases in actual burglary rates. Reports of residential burglaries (-13%), nonresidential burglaries (-6%), larcenies (-5%), and drug offenses (-3%) all decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Long-term trends show even more dramatic improvements. Sexual assault (-26%), domestic violence (-11%), and robbery (-19%) were lower in 2024 than in 2019. There were fewer residential burglaries (-38%) and larcenies (-12%) in 2024 than in 2019. Many homeowners invest heavily in security systems based on fears that don’t match statistical realities.
Sexual Assault by Strangers Fear
Many Americans reported fears of being the victim of crimes like sexual assault by a stranger (29.5 percent), yet only 7% of sexual abuse cases involve a stranger. Child abusers of all types usually target children they already know, and this pattern extends to adult victims as well.
Sexual assaults by strangers have been going down, according to Chapman University research. The focus on stranger danger diverts attention from the more common reality that perpetrators are typically known to their victims, whether family members, acquaintances, or people in positions of trust.
Public Mass Shooting Phobia
While mass shootings receive enormous media attention, the statistical likelihood of being involved in such an incident remains extremely low. Gun violence was the 5th scariest situation in our ranking, with 54 percent of Americans expressing fear about this threat. High-profile active shooter incidents surged in 2022, and school shootings increased in 2023.
Despite these concerning increases, the overall probability of any individual being caught in a mass shooting event remains statistically minimal. Many people avoid crowded public spaces, concerts, and other gatherings based on fears that far exceed the actual risk level. This avoidance behavior can significantly impact quality of life and social connections.
Identity Theft Terror
The most common crime concern is being the victim of identity theft, according to recent polling. While identity theft is indeed a real concern in our digital age, the fear often exceeds the actual impact for most victims. Unlike violent crimes, identity theft rarely involves physical harm and is often resolved through proper reporting and financial institution cooperation.
The anxiety around identity theft has led many people to avoid legitimate online activities, refuse to use credit cards for purchases, or obsessively monitor accounts to an unhealthy degree. While reasonable precautions make sense, the level of fear often surpasses the realistic threat level for average consumers who follow basic security practices.