Protection from physical violence by the state (V-Dem)

In brief

Protection from physical violence by the state (V-Dem): across 174 countries and territories, values range from 0.05 (North Korea) to 0.99 (Iceland), with a world median of 0.79. Data: 2025. The top 10% of countries exceed 0.97, while the bottom 10% stay below 0.18. By continent, the median is highest in Europe (0.95) and lowest in Africa (0.52).

Median by continent

Why this indicator matters

Being protected from political killings and torture by the state is a fundamental right. This index compares the degree of protection against physical violence carried out by the authorities.

What makes this indicator vary

This protection depends on the political regime, the independence of the judiciary, control over security forces and the presence of conflict. It can change quickly in a crisis or a change of power.

Reading precautions

The index is an estimate by V-Dem project experts, with a margin of uncertainty. It targets state violence, not ordinary crime. In closed countries, information is harder to verify.