Security in DR

Eddy

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
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Today in Diario Libre:

Rep?blica Dominicana tiene la percepci?n m?s baja en seguridad de 47 pa?ses - Diario Libre Movil

Extranjeros se van de Las Terrenas por inseguridad y delincuencia en la zona - Diario Libre Movil

Very short summary:

- DR is among the six most insecure countries of 47 countries of medium human development.

- Expats are leaving las terrenas and going back to their countries due to feeling insecure.
Just like the economy, things are going to get a lot worse before they get better. This country is f*cked.
 

bob saunders

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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The question asked was: Do you feel safe to walk alone at night in the city or area where you live?"
I think anyone in almost any place on earth would answer truthfully - Depends on what part of town.
I walk through parts of Jarabacoa at night without issues but certainly even here, there are areas such as Barrio Blanco and Barrio Negro that I would not walk through.
 

Givadogahome

Silver
Sep 27, 2011
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It is not just the delinquents that make life here uncomfortable at times, lack of rights is the biggest issue for me, if they decide you ain't got rights, then you ain't got rights.
As far as safe and unsafe areas, I live in Oriental, can be pretty rough, but the only time I actually feel Intimidated is if walking alone late and I spot PN coming my way on the bikes. It went quiet here for a while but now they seem to have doubled street patrol and so muggings, burglaries and murder have gone off the scale again. One of the only countries in the world where an increase in police presence increases the crime rates.

I think the best way forward for here is utter collapse, realization, start over. No basic human rights unless 'they' say so is not a place I want to live to be honest, and recently I witnessed something quite shocking, blatant, absolutely illegal and carried out in a court. Every once in a while I receive these little reminders of just how vulnerable we all are if they decide so. Fine if you have money to burn, but who wants to burn money every time someone else decides you should?

but what can you do, just plod along and make the best of a bad situation I suppose.:nervous:
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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"Lando", after living in Boston for 25 years, and here for over 18, I see things VERY differently!
Was the response to the event that took place in Boston, just a LITTLE different from the response to criminal activities here in the DR????
Your "So Called" analegy makes you look a LITTLE, Hmmmmmmm, STUPID!
Not to mention INSENSITIVE!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
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bob, this is not that easy. where i live i would walk - and i do, sometimes - after dark. i feed some feral kitties now and i do go out in the evening to give them food and scritches. but still i have a security system in place and two big dogs and i do not feel all that safe when i am home alone. back in poland i never had a feeling someone will climb up my window at night to slash my throat. and my parent live on the ground floor. and heck, one a totally drunk dude climbed up the balcony to confess undying love to my mom - turned out he went to the wrong building altogether. next day we still had a balcony door wide open at night...

do i feel secure? i sort of do, here in POP. i usually move around the same places and do not venture out to any barrios, not even in the daytime because the streets are narrow and i always think i will get stuck somewhere unable to make a u-turn. but i do not like to go to SD and i never walk around there, apart from short strolls from metro to krispy kremes, maybe.
 
Oct 13, 2003
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I don't live here permanently but live here part of the year (about 1-2 months)...

So far I've had no problems walking everywhere were I live; except for watching the traffic when you cross the road. I stay in a Dominican barrio in GH with my family. Almost everyone here knows me and I know them or their family.... that means the local teniente, judge, doctor, syndico, etc, etc.. I know all of them and they know me...we say hello in the street; sometimes we have a drink or lunch

I think that for average, normal, mostly keeping their noses clean, sticking to 'gente de confianca' Dominicans with a job, the DR isn't all that unsafe ...for gringo's who play by the same rules (Cobra, Hillbilly, JDJones, just to name a few I know; I don't think it's all that unsafe either

For 'delinquentes', gringo's without support system, very poor Dominicans, Haitians in general.. it's not so safe.. they stand out and are seen as a target..
 

Curacaoleno

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Apr 26, 2013
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The question asked was: Do you feel safe to walk alone at night in the city or area where you live?"
I think anyone in almost any place on earth would answer truthfully - Depends on what part of town.
I walk through parts of Jarabacoa at night without issues but certainly even here, there are areas such as Barrio Blanco and Barrio Negro that I would not walk through.

Still there is a difference. In some cities they might just rob you and in other cities they will first kill you and after that take your stuff. It may also depend on knowing your city. I know my island and know where not to go and where its safe. Yes things can happen anyway but it helps. If you drop me now in Hong Kong I may also wander in the wrong place. Another thing is where do you go and with who. Are you a lone tourist who is in your own country not streetwise and you pick up a prostitute to have a party with drugs and lots of licorand you are splashing around your dollar bills you may ask for trouble.. Do you stay in a good place in a good neighberhood and you take for example taxis at night it may safe you for some trouble.

If I am in the DR I am always surrounded by my gf and her so called circle of trust people.. In other words there is always somebody keeping an eye on me. They will not let me go alone wandering the streets. Any woman who is not in this circle of trust is not allowed to talk to me more than 1 minute or she has some explaining to do.
 

Givadogahome

Silver
Sep 27, 2011
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Sounds like the same treatment I allow my dogs, one minute of arse sniffing a stranger and then we have to leave before it gets frisky. Must be nice to be trusted:p
 

curious29

New member
Sep 20, 2012
334
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i feel secure here but i don't flash....i own only used motorbike (and laptop+ camera)...I don't rent a house, got longterm deals with hotels (which cost almost the same like renting apartament).
add to that - I visited like 50 places in this country, got 7,000 of mileage here on bike...and never ever felt unsafe...NEVER. ..never thing was stolen from me....
one time got small problem with stray dogs, but that was the only problem..i never ride during the night...i walk in places that i know until 11 pm...
 

JMB773

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Nov 4, 2011
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Still there is a difference. In some cities they might just rob you and in other cities they will first kill you and after that take your stuff. It may also depend on knowing your city. I know my island and know where not to go and where its safe. Yes things can happen anyway but it helps. If you drop me now in Hong Kong I may also wander in the wrong place. Another thing is where do you go and with who. Are you a lone tourist who is in your own country not streetwise and you pick up a prostitute to have a party with drugs and lots of licorand you are splashing around your dollar bills you may ask for trouble.. Do you stay in a good place in a good neighberhood and you take for example taxis at night it may safe you for some trouble.

If I am in the DR I am always surrounded by my gf and her so called circle of trust people.. In other words there is always somebody keeping an eye on me. They will not let me go alone wandering the streets. Any woman who is not in this circle of trust is not allowed to talk to me more than 1 minute or she has some explaining to do.

Damn you sound like John Gotti LOL!!!!!
 

keepcoming

Moderator - Living & General Stuff
May 25, 2011
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Bad things can happen anywhere. What I see here for the most part is expats becoming friends and trusting anyone that shows the least bit of interest. You would not do that in your own country so why do it here. When I came here people had to earn my trust and respect, heck even after all this time some still have not managed to do that. Common sense goes a along way here. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.
 

kampinge

Member
Jan 18, 2012
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My answer is; I don't feel safe. Because beside of the risk that somebody will robbed my, I am always afraid to fall over all that dirt around me. I am afraid too to step into a manhole without cover. Thats all make me not to leave my house at night. I live in a middle-class aerie in Santiago, but after eight pm nobody walk around. When I look outside on the street where I live I only see white points in the darkness walking around. That all the haitian workers who lives in houses the owners has left for abroad visiting each other. So I stay home or take my car. Thats the price for living in this lovely country, You always have to pay for your own decision to move here.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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South Coast
Like kampinge, I worry about safety. Mostly because too many people in DR, be they Dominicans or Haitians, do not put enough value on life. Mine, not theirs.
 

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
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I think there is in the countryside a sense of insecurity, because of isolation, because of corrupt PN, because of drinking.....
I believe it is only a sense and not reality. Anywhere in the world, news papers and stuff are full of beatings, robberys, etc.......
I have good security, ie dogs, walls and weapons but thankfully I ve never had a problem.
The only thing is here in dr I am the odd one out and they all think all gringos are rich....