Community Safety and Violence

How Community Safety & Violence Impacts Health

Community safety and violence refers to both unintentional and intentional injuries occurring within a community, which can have profound impacts on individuals’ well-being. In addition to physical injury, violence is often associated with emotional trauma, sometimes resulting in long-term health consequences like chronic stress, anxiety, and depression. Marginalized communities are often disproportionately affected by violent crimes, exacerbating existing disparities in health and quality of life¹. However, community safety is also about residents feeling safe in a broader sense, not just protected from violence or physical harm. Increasing community safety and reducing violence promotes trust and social cohesion, fostering environments that support overall health and quality of life for all.

NOTE: All of the Community Safety & Violence crimes on this page tend to be underreported. The actual numbers are likely higher. From a public health perspective, underreporting makes it difficult to fully understand the extent of the trauma these crimes cause.

Traffic Safety Indicators are located under Transportation

Youth Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Indicators are located here.

Note: The WCHCS Data Team is collaborating closely with our county departments and community partners on population-level indicators related to the justice system and the criminal justice project. As part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing data accessibility and assessment in this area, we plan to add additional indicators over time, ensuring a more robust understanding of these critical areas.

Violent Crime

Why this is important: Violent crime deeply impacts families, neighborhoods, and communities, often resulting in poorer health outcomes. Individuals who experience or witness violent crimes can endure physical pain, mental distress, and emotional trauma, significantly affecting their well-being².

Definition: Number of reported violent crime offenses (murders, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults) per 100,000 population

Trend: The violent crime rate in Whatcom county has been about the same since 2013.

Geography: Whatcom County had a lower rate of violent crime than Washington state in 2022.

Disparities: Available data for this indicator do not allow for visualization or analysis by subpopulation.

Intentional Injury Hospitalizations

Why this is important: Intentional injuries can occur from assault or be self-inflicted. People who experience or witness intentional injury can suffer physical pain, mental distress, or emotional trauma, which may have lasting effects on their quality of life³. Not all intentional injuries are severe enough to require hospitalization; this data do not capture the number of people in the community who experience intentional injury but were not hospitalized for it.

Definition: Number of intentional injury hospitalizations per 100,000 population

Trend: The intentional injury hospitalization rate in Whatcom County has not been changing significantly since 2012.

Geography: The intentional injury hospitalization rate in Whatcom County was not significantly different from Washington State in 2021.

Disparities: Disparities exist in intentional injury hospitalization rate among different age groups and between the sexes. Hover over the data in the subpopulation tabs to discover more.

Sexual Assault

Why this is important: Sexual assault can deeply affect individuals both physically and emotionally, leading to prolonged distress that can affect school or work performance, the capacity to develop healthy relationships and long-term mental health. Prevention of and response to sexual assault requires addressing deep-rooted abuses of power at cultural and community levels.

Definition: Number of reported sexual assault crimes per 100,000 population

Trend: The sexual assault rate in Whatcom County was increasing significantly from 2012 to 2016, before beginning a significant decline from 2016 to 2022.

Geography: Whatcom County had a lower rate of sexual assault than Washington state in 2022.

Disparities: Available data for this indicator do not allow for visualization or analysis by subpopulation.

Child Abuse and Neglect

Why this is important: Child abuse and neglect can profoundly disrupt children’s mental, emotional, and physical development⁴. Whether it’s physical, sexual, or emotional abuse or neglecting children’s basic needs, these traumas can impede healthy brain development, resulting in lifelong harm. Addressing and reducing child abuse and neglect is critical for fostering health and well-being throughout life, enabling children to flourish in school and beyond. The Healthy People 2030 national target is 8.7 per 1,000.

Definition: Number of accepted victims of child abuse and/or neglect per 1,000 children (age birth to 17 years)

Trend: The child abuse and/or neglect rate in Whatcom County has been about the same since 2012.

Geography: Whatcom County had a higher rate of child abuse and/or neglect than Washington State in 2022.

Disparities: Available data for this indicator do not allow for visualization or analysis by subpopulation.

Learn more:

• Brigid Collins Family Support Center
• Protecting Your Children, Brigid Collins Family Support Center, 2016.
• What is Child Abuse and Neglect, Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families.
• About Child Trauma, National Child Traumatic Stress Network.