Is it more dangerous now than before?

Doreen said:

Hi,

I am usualy not more afraid of things than common sense tells me but my husband is - at least in this case (and he is dominican, hihi).
We live in Germany and were planning to go to Santo Domingo at the end of November. Now he says he is a little afraid to go after those shootings and killings that we heard of and all those criminals that were sent back from the US. We usualy travel a lot when in the DR and he feels it would not be safe now and that we should wait and go later.

But I can?t wait! Since months I am only surviving because I know I will go "home" in November. What do you guys say - is it more dangerous now? Should we wait? I am actualy thinking about going by myself if he does not want to come and just be more careful and selective with where I go and when.

I am actualy looking for arguments that would convince my husband of not having to be afraid.

Thanks alot in advance!
Doreen

Click to expand...

Are you going to be staying in Santo Domingo itself or in a tourist area? The criminal activity has been on the rise in the past months but in tourist areas there's usually enough supervision. I would basically recommend being careful when you're out in the streets and basically not do anything you usually wouldn't do in a big city. Be smart and you'll enjoy your stay!

If you feel confortable in Germany you should in Santo Domingo.

Santo Domingo

I have been there several times and have not had to worry. I was in SD in August and stayed there three days did not have any problems. It is true that crime is on the rise but it is also true that it is on the rise everywhere. I live in the US. If all you know about the US is what you hear in the News and what you watch on TV and also from a few paranoid people then you will think that it is full of drugs and people driving like maniacs and the police busting drugs and drive-by shootings but it is not so. :laugh:
It is very peaceful and safe. The same is the case with everywhere else. There is crime everywhere but you will have to look for it to find it. Crime does not come looking for you. You will really have to do somthing crazy for it to find you.
Tell your husband to relax and go home and have fun. I am not a dominican do not look like one but have never been hasseled or disturbed. I am planning a serious trip around the country and will be driving. I really do not know my way much and also have very limited knowledge of spanish but hey I am in for the adventure.
I know of people that do this all the time and also others that go the DR every month. On has made the trip at least 10 times this year and still has another two planned before the end of the years. He is not dominican and does not look like one does not speak the language very well and has not been hassled.
This is my third trip and will have two more before the end of the year.
Relax and have fun and please do not forget to post a trip report.

Not a wonderful world.....

d life said:

I have been there several times and have not had to worry. I was in SD in August and stayed there three days did not have any problems. It is true that crime is on the rise but it is also true that it is on the rise everywhere. I live in the US. If all you know about the US is what you hear in the News and what you watch on TV and also from a few paranoid people then you will think that it is full of drugs and people driving like maniacs and the police busting drugs and drive-by shootings but it is not so. :laugh:
It is very peaceful and safe. The same is the case with everywhere else. There is crime everywhere but you will have to look for it to find it. Crime does not come looking for you. You will really have to do somthing crazy for it to find you.
Tell your husband to relax and go home and have fun. I am not a dominican do not look like one but have never been hasseled or disturbed. I am planning a serious trip around the country and will be driving. I really do not know my way much and also have very limited knowledge of spanish but hey I am in for the adventure.
I know of people that do this all the time and also others that go the DR every month. On has made the trip at least 10 times this year and still has another two planned before the end of the years. He is not dominican and does not look like one does not speak the language very well and has not been hassled.
This is my third trip and will have two more before the end of the year.
Relax and have fun and please do not forget to post a trip report.

Click to expand...

Hi,

I read regularly the dominican online press and we have to admit that murders and so on are increasing.

I put herreunder some extracts of th Dominican press today.
I you have pbs to read spanish, please ask...

Isabelle

Oh pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

and again....

Dangerous...it's a matter of perspective

1700 people die from pollution every year in the GTA (Toronto area Ontario). I'm pretty sure that's much higher than the murder rate. I was in SD for 2 days in September. it was my first time and I was in various parts of the City. I didn't find it any worse than any other City. Be careful as you would in any City...

Enjoy your life.....

MrNiceGuy said:

1700 people die from pollution every year in the GTA (Toronto area Ontario). I'm pretty sure that's much higher than the murder rate.

Click to expand...

Yes, something like 35 times higher. Even NYC hasn't 1700 murders a year any more.

statistics & Reality

Truthfully, I understand the fear of going home haveing not been there in a long time and haveing had the media or some paranoid friends as the only souce of information. My advice is that you should call home and speak with a relative that is on ground and has been on the ground for a while. If the person is truthful the person will alliviate your fears.
I am not discounting that fact that thereis violence but I am saying that it will not come near you if you us some basic precautions.
What is the chance that you will be involved in a violent crime. I in a million. If you just use some basic common sence and standard precaution. You have to be in certain circles for these things to happen to you. You have to either be in a bar when a fight breaks out or hanging with the wrong crowd (i.e. gangs or drugs etc.) for these things to happen to you.
Hear me, for a man just vsiting his family and going to the beach and out for dinner in the even the chance is one in uncountable millions that he will be a victim.
Hey relax and have some fun but one thing I will also like to add is that fear attracts the feared. Whatever you are afraid of happens. If you walk around paraniod and checking everything out and being overly protective you send the signal that you have somthing to protect. hey just relax and have some fun. I am heading to the DR on monday the 18th of October and I intend to have some fun.
I have lived and been to several 3rd world countries and have been very safe. I have lived in and visited Nigeria several times and nothing has happened to me. Do not listen to the hype in the media.
Go to the DR relax have fun and use the standard precautions that you will use in any big city. Do not show up in the unsafe parts of the city late at night. Dont drink untill you do not know your way. Dont do drugs. dont start a fight and do not be unnecesserily showy and you will be just fine.
Have some fun and do not forget to post a trip report.

That is false, crime is NOT on the rise in the US. I did a 50-page research paper a couple of years ago and violent crime in US has fell by about 50% nationwide since mid-80s. The government and media (who both work together) paint an untrue picture because keeping people scared gives the police/government more power and control. Now here in the US that are taking away our civil rights to keep us safe by way of the Patroit Act. Thousands of innocent people are incarcerated across the world, and who allows the government to keep political prisoners? You do, because your scared of crime. All the police have to do is say "Oh, he's a suspected terrorist." People don't care about the wrong that's done, they think it's more important to "feel safe".
DR Police will start cracking down on protesters, etc. and most of you will applaude them for it. Wouldn't want it to hurt their precious tourist industry.