A new National Statistics Office omnibus survey has found that nearly three in four adults in Malta feel safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark, although women and older people are notably less likely to report feeling safe than men and younger adults.
The survey, carried out in September 2025 with a representative sample of residents aged 18 and over, is the first in a series of short articles based on the findings of the NSO's omnibus study. This first release on Tuesday focused on perceptions of personal safety in respondents' local area and at home after dark.
Overall, 74 per cent of respondents said they feel safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark.
The findings show a clear gender gap in perceptions of safety. While 81 per cent of men said they feel safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark, the figure among women was significantly lower at 65 per cent.
Differences were also recorded across age groups. Among those aged between 18 and 34, 78 per cent said they feel safe walking alone after dark, while the figure stood at 75 per cent among those aged 35 to 64. Among respondents aged 65 and over, however, the proportion dropped to 63 per cent.
Geographic differences were relatively limited. Perceived safety while walking alone after dark ranged from 71 per cent in the Northern Harbour district to 76 per cent in the Northern district.
When it came to safety at home after dark, respondents reported much higher levels of confidence.
The survey found that 94 per cent of respondents said they feel safe when alone at home after dark, a 20 percentage point increase over the proportion who said they feel safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark.
Differences by sex and age were much smaller in this category. Among women, 92 per cent said they feel safe at home after dark, compared to 95 per cent of men.
By age, perceived safety at home declined slightly with age, from 96 per cent among those aged 18 to 34 to 91 per cent among those aged 65 and over.
Regional variations were also minimal, with the highest reported level of safety at home after dark recorded in the Northern Harbour district at 94 per cent, and the lowest in the Western district at 92 per cent.
When the two measures were compared, 72 per cent of respondents said they feel safe both at home after dark and when walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark.
Meanwhile, 21 per cent said that although they feel safe in their home after dark, they do not feel safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark.