Shocking Stats About Your Security at Home

Home is where you’re supposed to feel your safest. It’s a refuge, it’s cozy, it’s your literal safe haven. But what if you found out your home actually has some glaring security flaws that may be putting you and your family at risk? The more you know about the dangers you face at home the easier it is to put preventative measures in place.

Are you doing enough to protect you and your loved ones? Here are some shocking statistics about your security at home that may get you thinking…

A burglary takes place in the U.S. every 18 seconds.

That’s astounding. And did you know that the “typical” burglar is actually a male teen? You might be surprised to find out most burglaries happen in the daytime hours while adults are at work and teens aren’t at school and the average burglary takes less than 12 minutes. Additionally, most burglars don’t actually randomly target a home – they tend to choose a location close to where they live so they can get away and hide their loot quickly. What can you do about it? Homes without security systems are three times more likely to be broken into.

Over a third of all crooks break in through the front door.

The front door! First floor windows and back doors are tied for about 25% of entrances each…but your garage and basement are suspect, too. The good news is, you can easily find affordable home security alarms, from motion detectors to door chimes, and they’re easy to install yourself. Since the average burglary costs the homeowner nearly $2,000 in stolen goods and damage, it’s worth it in the long run.

In America, 4.2% of all crimes committed against children under 6 are committed by babysitters.

Think your child’s safe in your own home? It’s critical to know the background of the person you’ve hired to watch your child, even if they’ve come through a nanny agency. Of all the crimes nannies commit, sex offenses make up a full 2/3, but physical assault accounts for about 33%. So, what can you do to protect your children? Aside from asking for references and checking in regularly, installing a nanny cam in your home might give you some peace of mind. Be sure you check your state laws regarding home recording.

Nearly 20% of all U.S. women have been physically or sexually assaulted.

Statistically, most sexual assaults happen in the home, whether it’s the woman’s or the assailants. That’s because 81% of all rape victims actually know their attackers. And since stranger crimes only make up about a third of all violent crimes committed in the U.S. each year, physical assaults are highly likely to happen at home between people who have an established relationship. Particularly if you’re a female living alone, having a stun gun, pepper spray, or even a police baton handy might just give you the leg up you need if faced with an attacker.

Up to 7,000,000 teens and kids are left home alone each year.

Not only do violent juvenile crimes triple in the afternoon hours, there are over 4 million injuries each year to kids under 14 who’ve been left home alone. Not only that, but 2/3 of sexually active teens report having sex in a home (usually their own) and many say they also drink or do drugs at home while their parents are working. Increasingly, teens are turning to their own medicine cabinets for a high, putting them at great danger for overdosing. Aside from using spy cameras to watch your kids, you may want to consider buying drug testing kits to keep tabs on their activities. And, of course, the best way to keep your kids safe is to continually talk to them about dangers and ensure they know they can always come to you with problems.

Surprised? Maybe you’re not as safe in your own home as you thought you were, or perhaps you’ve been too trusting of people allowed in and out of your house. Whatever the case, a few minutes spent considering additional security measures may save you time and hassle in the long run, and may actually keep your family safe. Isn’t that worth a few minutes of your time?