A burglary is much more than the inconvenience of making a claim on the house insurance. It can have long lasting psychological effects, leaving people feeling unsafe in their own home and changing their behaviours. A home is meant to be a safe and comfortable place, yet a burglar can make homeowners feel violated and scared – for a long time after the event. The emotional impact of a burglary is often what people try to avoid most when installing security measures.
If you are lucky enough to have never experienced a break-in, then you won’t be aware of the psychological impact, but property owners who have been burgled will know it all too well. When your sense of security is challenged by criminals, it is difficult to get that comfortable and welcoming feeling back inside your home.
A survey of UK homeowners by Everest has highlighted the psychological and emotional impact of a burglary. Once your safe space is compromised, there is no going back – with 2.8% of respondents saying they had been motivated to move house after the break-in. Almost half of the respondents who had been burgled said they felt unsafe in their home afterwards, and 37.6% said they had trouble sleeping.
A home is a private and special place, which is why the emotional impact of a burglary can have an effect on overall wellbeing. In drastic cases, it can even cause detrimental health if homeowners are constantly worried and frightened while at home. We all have an emotional connection to our possessions and our home, so having our private space threatened can be more damaging than many realise.
Updating Security after a Burglary
It is no surprise that after their security is compromised, many homeowners take steps to improve it to prevent future break-ins. Certain security measures can help to deter burglars, however if you aren’t locking windows and doors then you could be inviting them in. 93% of those questioned who had been burgled said they took action to improve security afterwards, including the installation of intruder alarms and CCTV, upgrading locks and fitting external lighting.
Some victims of burglary go even further. 9% of respondents bought a dog after being burgled, as a way to protect their home.
If you’ve never experienced a burglary, then don’t wait until you have to update your home security measures.