how safe is it really?

jalene0214

New member
Apr 9, 2005
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After reading about the murder of the unibe student, I'm experiencing some concern and hesitation about Moving from new york to santo domingo. Im Aware that new york isn't the saftest of cities but i know what to expect here. Can anyone tell me about the safety inplace over there?
how r the police?
does the neighborhood protect u?or is everyone for them selves?
in an emergency who do you contact?
is there ambulances?
what are the hospitals like?


all comments welcome!:cool:
thanks
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planner

.............. ?
Sep 23, 2002
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Things happen everywhere!!! It is about living safely and aware of what you are doing, who is around you, how you act etc... Use common sense anywhere in the world and this is no exception.

That being said thing do happen. you cannot protect yourself 100% anywhere you are.

If you live safely or reasonably safely in NY then you can do it just as easily here.
 

kingofdice

Active member
Jan 16, 2002
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Safe is relative. I was very saddened to read about the 28 yr. old Unibe Student. What happened here was violation of trust. The student knew one of attackers, who obviously gained her trust at some point. In retrospect, (but will all respect to the deceased), there are some basic rules that cannot be broken. You do not allow cursory friends into your private space that have the ability to overpower and harm you. If the person still insists upon entering your apartment or casa, then they really aren't much of a friend. They are on a mission, which generally is not in your best interest.

My mother, who lives in the WV countryside, recently had two 20 yr. old girls bang persistently on her door at 4 am. They said they had been camping on the river and needed to use the phone. However, the nearest river was 11 miles away and there were 200 other houses that the girls had passed on the road, before deciding to bang on my mother's house, who lives alone. After she pointed a .22 pistol in their face, the girls got the message and backed away from the front door. Common sense is your greatest protection. And it does not hurt to display some protection.
In the case of the two girls, they walked 300 ft. to the main road and got in a waiting car. So much, for the phony river story. They were looking to rob someone.

When I ride with my english speaking Dominican taxi driver, he keeps a loaded .38 under the seat. It gives me a little more sense of protection. Sadly, you cannot let you gaurd down even for 1 second, whether in the D.R. or the U.S. :tired:
 

easygoin

Bronze
Jan 2, 2005
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I would say you're more vulnerable in your hometown, because you take things for granted and let your guard down. As to where a foreign place you're much more aware of what's happening around you.
 

amy2761

Island Body
Mar 16, 2003
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I find it quite safe ....

in fact I don't have any problem walking down the road to catch a moto at 11pm. It all depends on your neighbourhood and surroundings.

My experience has been if you flaunt what you have you'll be ripped off. If you don't flaunt, then people pretty much leave you alone, no matter how much you have.

People who openly have a lot of material/monetary goods are often targeted whereas people who may have millions of dollars worth of goods/money and don't make it known are left alone.

I live in a 50/50 neighbourhood, Dominicans and extranjeros, where everyone keeps pretty much to themselves and have never heard of a breakin here.

Stay well,
Amy

P.S. in Sosua for those who don't know :)
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
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In the DR, 99.99% of murder cases follow the old whodunit clich?, "the butler did it", and in the case of the Unibe student, the 'butler' was the concierge. And where there's no concierge, it's an ex-employee, an old acquaintance, or in general, someone who has the trust and confidence of the victim.
 

jalene0214

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Apr 9, 2005
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im just alarmed more so cause it's a given here, i've grown up in new york so im used to the violence its on t.v. its on the trains, its every where.
but being that im not from D.R. i just wasn't expecting to read about a college student getting killed at the same school im interested in attending.




easygoin said:
I would say you're more vulnerable in your hometown, because you take things for granted and let your guard down. As to where a foreign place you're much more aware of what's happening around you.




I was hoping that due to the violence in new york city i would be able to move some place tropical and less likely for me to get killed which is why im concerened that me and my daughter might be safer in nyc than dr.
 

Escott

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Jan 14, 2002
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Dragonfly32837 said:
How can you ask how safe is it really when you are coming from New York City? NYC is worse.
I think it is just a question of the person. I felt safe in NYC and in Santo Domingo. I have to go to Columbia for some business and there I will take extra precautions.

Escott
 
May 31, 2005
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You are definitely less likely to get killed in DR than in NYC. Of course it all depends on your lifestyle and hobbies. ;) It can be disturbing to hear that someone was killed in the same school you are planning to attend.
 
May 31, 2005
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Escott said:
I think it is just a question of the person. I felt safe in NYC and in Santo Domingo. I have to go to Columbia for some business and there I will take extra precautions.

Escott
That is so true. My father had to go on a business trip to Barranquilla and he was so scared that he hardly left the hotel. He said he heard gunshots all the time.
 

easygoin

Bronze
Jan 2, 2005
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jalene0214 said:
im just alarmed more so cause it's a given here, i've grown up in new york so im used to the violence its on t.v. its on the trains, its every where.
but being that im not from D.R. i just wasn't expecting to read about a college student getting killed at the same school im interested in attending.









I was hoping that due to the violence in new york city i would be able to move some place tropical and less likely for me to get killed which is why im concerened that me and my daughter might be safer in nyc than dr.



It all depends on area you live. raised in New York never a robbery. Now live in tampa fl, and have not locked my house in 13 years... don't even know where my house key is. It's all about where you live in a community.
 

HOWMAR

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Jan 28, 2004
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As much as you don't want to blame the victim, usually the victim has some responsibility for their own misfortune. As demonstrated by this case and the Holloway case in Aruba. Don't use poorer judgement in paradise than you would at home. You certainly wouldn't let a casual aquaintance into your home, or get into his car, when home in the safety of your own enviornment.
 

DominicanScotty

On Vacation!
Jun 12, 2004
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Do your homework

jalene0214 said:
After reading about the murder of the unibe student, I'm experiencing some concern and hesitation about Moving from new york to santo domingo. Im Aware that new york isn't the saftest of cities but i know what to expect here. Can anyone tell me about the safety inplace over there?
how r the police?
does the neighborhood protect u?or is everyone for them selves?
in an emergency who do you contact?
is there ambulances?
what are the hospitals like?


all comments welcome!:cool:
thanks
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As everyone has agreed. Danger is everywhere! If you are planning on living there you must learn a few things. It is important to at least have a functional understanding of the Spanish language. If you cannot even understand what is being said they could be talking about robbing you right in front of you and you would not know it. Become familiar with your surroundings and enviroment. Don't take strangers home that you just met especially if you are a female. Not too long ago a man brought home a Dominican man he thought was a newfound friend that he met in a bar. The newfound friend turned out to be a robber and this man's murderer! I live in a small town of 18,000 people and there are murders here. Even though I carry a 9mm handgun I do not drive through town at night. I take the highway that goes around town. Common sense is the best practice!
 

DominicanScotty

On Vacation!
Jun 12, 2004
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So true

HOWMAR said:
As much as you don't want to blame the victim, usually the victim has some responsibility for their own misfortune. As demonstrated by this case and the Holloway case in Aruba. Don't use poorer judgement in paradise than you would at home. You certainly wouldn't let a casual aquaintance into your home, or get into his car, when home in the safety of your own enviornment.


For those of us that live in the DR we see it everyday. Tourists just hopping into cars with locals or other tourists that they just met. It is this false sense of security that "Hey I am on vacation. I am supossed to be having a great time. How can anything possibly happen to me. That happens to other people. But not me". If you don't do it where you live. Don't do it where you vacation!
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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Actually,New Your City Is On Of The safest Cities To Live In The USA!

And many fewer crimes per capita than the Dominican Republic!The murder rate in NYC is one of the lowest of all major cities in the World.It has been declining since "Julliani" was first elected!!
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ggn420

Brain Doner
Apr 21, 2005
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Criss Colon said:
And many fewer crimes per capita than the Dominican Republic!The murder rate in NYC is one of the lowest of all major cities in the World.It has been declining since "Julliani" was first elected!!
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It's not a case of which of the two are safer, as some posted, the states can be as bad as anywhere else when it comes to crime in general. What you need to look at is the level of security. Since 911 and all the other relative incidents, security is on the uprise. There's no place worst for cops than the states. We have the largest police departments, the newest of equipment, and overall the highest standards, in comparison to a country that the police barely exsists, other than the larger cities. You might call it "the flip side of the coin"
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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Ricardo900 said:
San Marino
Have you seen the place?

It's the size of a postage stamp!

It's funny that the San Marino's government revenue comes from the sales of, guess what, postage stamps!

Other places where crime is hardly heard of includes Singapore, Dubai, and other strict places where freedom is only a concept.