Fear of crime and related factors in relatives of individuals with mental disorders

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the fear of crime among relatives of individuals with mental disorders. The study was a cross-sectional epidemiological study. The sample consisted of 545 people. A questionnaire to collect data was developed by the researchers using the literature. 11.0% of the women and 19.4% of the men stated that their exposure to crime had decreased. Patients’ relatives felt that the most disturbing behavior of other people towards their relatives was stigmatization (47.3%), while what made patients’ relatives happiest was when other people talked and chatted to the patient (80.3%). The fear of crime in family members of individuals with mental disorders was found to be greater in women. The family members who participated in the study were found to fear their relatives being victims of crime due to stigmatization and social exclusion.