Protective Security Awareness Training

For Places of Worship

Protective Security Awareness Training

For Places of Worship

For all faiths across Europe

Places of worship such as churches, synagogues and mosques are uniquely vulnerable to attacks because of their symbolism and their open and accessible nature.

The EFI training focuses in detail on Prevention, Preparation and Response specifically in relation to each place of worship. The interactive training provides guidance on how places of worship can protect themselves against risks, and how to react to minimise harm should an attack happen. The training helps them become more resilient.

Prevention
Preparation
Response

2 – 4 hours

0+
People trained across Europe

We take a lot of things for granted: the safety of our buildings, entrances […] Many of our pastors and elders in the churches are not aware that there could be [these kinds of] threats […] I was really impressed by the insights into these areas.

Jeroen Tuinstra, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Belgium
It was a very good training. I picked up a lot of good points […] Security is the responsibility of the people behind the place of worship, and we should take this as a top priority
Michèle Buitenrust Hettema, ISKCON Netherlands

Book Now

If you would like to book a place for EFI’s Protective Security Awareness Training for Places of Worship, please complete the form below.

The importance of security in places of worship

Places of worship are, by design, locations that are open and welcoming to all. However, the nature of these sites automatically inserts an inherent security vulnerability for the religious leaders and their worshippers. 

OSCE Data on Hate Crime (2021)

According to the 2018 survey of the European Agency for Fundamental Rights:

“A large majority of respondents (85 %) consider antisemitism and racism to be the most pressing problems across the EU Member States surveyed.”

“A majority of respondents (72 %) express concern about increasing intolerance towards Muslims.”

“More than one third of all respondents have considered emigrating (38 %) in the past five years because they did not feel safe as a Jew in the country where they live.”

“One third (34 %) of all respondents said that they at least occasionally avoid visiting Jewish events or sites because they would not feel safe there, or on the way there, as a Jew. Over one third of all respondents (38 %) avoid certain places in their local area or neighbourhood at least occasionally because they do not feel safe there as a Jew.”

According to the 2017 survey of the European Agency for Fundamental Rights:

“4 out of 10 Muslim respondents (39 %) felt discriminated against because of their ethnic or immigrant background.”

“Muslim respondents who felt discriminated against reported that, on average, this happened at least five times a year, showing that discrimination is a recurring experience.”

Incidents and attacks from across all EU Member states

Type of incidents targeting Christian places of worship (Jun '21 - May '22) (%)

Type of incidents targeting Muslim places of worship (Jun '21 - May '22) (%)

Type of incidents targeting Jewish places of worship (Jun '21 - May '22) (%)

285 Incidents against Places of Worship (Jan - Mar 2023)

Our Training

EFI carries out this interactive training to identify potential risks faced by places of worship and their congregations, and to devise tailored solutions to protect them and mitigate risks. 

The aim of EFI’s protective security training is to ensure that places of worship have the right security measures in place to protect the congregation and the building itself and to ensure that people can worship without fear.

Main themes covered

The EFI training identifies factors in a place of worship that can increase its vulnerability to attack, such as:

  • Lack of visible security
  • Front doors remaining unlocked and unmanaged
  • Buildings left empty
  • Large crowds gathering, particularly during religious holidays and holy days
  • Meeting times which are well-publicised and available to all
  • Vulnerable congregations with children and the elderly
  • Some also function as tourist attractions, welcoming a wide variety of visitors.

Depending on the scale and complexity of the facilities and governance infrastructure, the training includes:

  • A general awareness of security needs in the institution
  • A general review of existing facilities, with a description of requirements
  • A detailed understanding of incident prevention, preparation and response.