Why don't we feel safe anymore?

Will was mugged the other night walking home from the bus stop.

There were a couple of them. He was asked for a dollar. As he reached into his pocket to grab his wallet, he was punched in the side of his face. He fell to the ground and his wallet was snatched from him.

Now this incident makes me angry on many levels. Angry that my boyfriend was physically attacked and stolen from. Angry that someone is being punished for trying to do good. Angry that these kids probably did not feel guilt and would never be brought to justice for their bad doing. And also angry that our right to feel safe around our own neighbourhood was robbed from us, forever.

We went to the doctor's afterward to get Will a check up. After being told of the story the security man nodded knowingly and commented "You're lucky that it was only a punch - it could've been worse".

What happened to "I'm so sorry to hear that this happened to you"? When and how did our society become so accustomed to and tolerant of violence that we should feel lucky that it was not more than a punch? And who can we actually blame for this?

The kids who stole from Will, who probably stood very little chance of growing up any other way the moment they were born into an environment of crime and violence?

The policeman whom we reported to, and told us that they were other matters of "higher priorities" that they needed to attend to that night (as they said the last two times our house was broken into)?

My very benevolent boyfriend who told the policeman that he understood and only stood by while they did little about it?

Or even more perhaps, the government who is very aware of the issue of Aboriginal crime and is not more diligent in trying to counter it?

While they make up less than 3% of the population in Western Australia, Aboriginals commit 20% of the violent crime in the State (UWA crime research centre). We read about Aboriginals being over-represented in the prison system. It is glaringly obvious that there is a more systemic issue involved here. And what advancements are being made to rectify this issue?

Will this be rectified if we continue providing welfares and state housing for life? Will this be rectified if we put them into prison and release them a short time later with a high prospect of reoffending? What about better access to education? Better access to health and economic opportunities? Improved assimilation with society and to be treated just like the rest of the population?

I don't have answers to any of the above and I will not admit to knowing this anymore than anyone else does. But I do know that being continually tolerant and indifferent of violent behaviour will not solve anything. It will only promote it.