For too long, within progressive politics, security has been treated as a taboo.
An uncomfortable topic, something to handle cautiously, almost to avoid.
Yet security is not the exclusive domain of authoritarianism, nor is it inherently a “right-wing” issue.
Security is a material condition of freedom.
It matters most for those who do not live in wealthy neighborhoods; for families who cannot afford elite schools for their children; for people who rely on their wages rather than on wealth or inherited privilege.
It is a social issue that directly affects women and minorities, who already experience structural inequalities and are also more exposed to harassment, theft, assault and violence in everyday life.
There is a large part of society — the one I come from — that has felt unseen and unheard for too long by the very political forces that should have made its protection a core mission.
When Data Speak Clearly
The data leave little room for interpretation.
Violent assaults involving knives among young people are increasing.
According to Italy’s Ministry of the Interior, serious bodily injuries have risen by nearly 6%.
Major cities report hundreds of cases involving illegal weapons, including minors.
These figures describe a phenomenon that is not episodic, but structural.
This is not about fueling fear.
It is about acknowledging reality in order to build serious, responsible responses.
Public Safety Requires a Stronger State, Not Fewer Rights
Facing a structural problem requires concrete measures.
Public safety does mean adequately staffed and well-trained law enforcement.
But it also requires a broader strengthening of public institutions.
A functioning state needs people: public servants, teachers, social workers, educators.
Security does not grow through repression alone; it is built first through investment.
More security means more public presence — not less democracy.
Education and Social Mobility as Prevention
Prevention starts long before violence occurs.
A society that offers real opportunities to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds is a safer society.
Schools must once again become places of social mobility, hope and belonging.
Security is not created only by reacting to crime.
It is created by reducing inequality, restoring trust, and investing early.
Reclaiming the Language of Security
Leaving the issue of security entirely to the right has been one of the most serious strategic mistakes of progressive politics.
If we want to prevent security from becoming a tool to restrict civil liberties — and if we want democracy to remain resilient — we must reclaim this language.
Without hesitation.
Without moral superiority.
Without lecturing those who are already struggling.
Because a politics that claims to stand for equality cannot afford to ignore people’s need to feel safe.
Further Reading & Sources
For readers interested in exploring the relationship between public safety, democracy and social policy, the following international sources provide reliable data and in-depth analysis:
- European Commission – Eurostat, official data on crime trends and public safety helping to contextualise violence as a structural social phenomenon.
Read more: Eurostat crime statistics - OECD, research on how strong public institutions, public services and social cohesion are essential to democratic public safety policies.
Read more: OECD – Governance and public safety - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), global analysis linking inequality, social exclusion and violence, with a strong focus on prevention.
Read more: UNODC – Global Study on Homicide - Amnesty International, insights on the balance between security measures and the protection of civil liberties in democratic societies.
Read more: Security and human rights – Amnesty International
Read the original Italian version
This article is part of a broader reflection developed in Italian, addressing the same themes within the national political and social context.
Readers interested in the original version can find it here:
Security as a social right – Italian version