Are many crimes committed by foreigners?: "Traditional media is part of the problem"
A new report on ZDF presented by Dunja Hayali raises the question of whether Germany has really become more dangerous, or if people's fears are shaped by distorted perceptions. In her documentary "Am Puls mit Dunja Hayali – Innere (Un)Sicherheit" ("On the Pulse of Events with Dunja Hayali – (In)Security at Home"), Hayali explores the gap between facts and fears, warning that stereotypes and prejudices often dominate discussions about crime and security.
The program highlights the views of researcher Julia Ebner, who explains that dangerous areas are not determined by the number of migrants living in them, but by the level of poverty and difficult social conditions. She emphasizes that linking crime automatically to migration is misleading, noting that violence occurs among all groups and backgrounds.
To clarify this, I visit what are called "danger zones" like Bremen Central Station accompanied by emergency forces, and talk to young women about their experiences with harassment and assaults in public places. It also allows victims to speak, including a woman who was injured in a stabbing attack in Solingen in 2024, and the Syrian young man Anas who survived a racially motivated stabbing attack in Magdeburg.
The film also addresses possible solutions through interviews with experts and a Belgian mayor who succeeded in improving security in his city. These experiences show that confronting the feeling of insecurity requires addressing social conditions and building community trust, rather than a narrow focus on immigration alone.
According to official statistics, the crime rate in Germany is generally declining, especially theft and drug-related crimes. However, people's feelings often reflect a different picture. It indicates that traditional media plays a key role in this disparity, noting that although only 33% of suspects are foreigners, more than 80% of media coverage focuses on foreign perpetrators. It sees this imbalance as reinforcing misconceptions and unfairly linking immigration to insecurity.