Many cities are safer than smaller communities. But that doesn't mean that all perceptions of crime are rooted in inaccuracy or fear (though some are). I think there's a statistical quirk at play here: City-dwellers are probably far more likely to witness crime, even when crime rates are lower...

Your average person on a downtown city street is more likely to see a theft / stabbing whatever, than your average person on a small city street. That's because there are more people on those downtown streets. That doesn't mean cities are less safe though.....

Because your average person on a small city street very well may be more likely to actually be robbed / stabbed etc. Per capita crime rates measure the number of offences/victims, which is the most important thing. But they don't measure the number of witnesses, which impacts perceptions of crime.

There is legitimate trauma and unease that comes from witnessing crime, even when one is not the victim. At same time, cities are often safer from a victim-counting perspective. So I don't really have a "solution" to better communicate community safety to people. It's a legit challenge!