ABSTRACT
Safety and security are basic human needs (Maslow, 1943) and are prerequisites to health and well-being (Dane, Sleet, Lam, & Roppel, 1987; Maurice, 1998; Sleet & Dane, 1985). The United Nations in their 1994 report on human development stated that safety is a fundamental right and an essential condition for the sustainable development of societies (United Nations, 1994). Injury and physical trauma threaten safety and security and are barriers to healthy development (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1997; World Health Organization [WHO], 1989, 1996). As a positive characteristic, safety and security imply not only the absence of injury but also the presence of safety-promoting behaviors and environments. Specifically, safety suggests immediate freedom from harm and security implies freedom from anxiety or apprehension of harm.
