a different view
I'm going to have to disagree with all the people saying that Santo Domingo isn't very dangerous for a single woman. It's actually dangerous for everyone these days, but more so for a single woman than anyone else. The embassy had an interesting sentence in an email they sent out. "There is a generalized fear of young men on the street." That's because they are the ones who do the most mugging. You can live here in reasonable safety by taking some special precautions, but you have to be practically paranoid to survive.
I don't consider myself a newbie. I lived here for five years during Balaguer's presidency, and have been back for close to four years. What a change! In the last two years, especially, it has become increasingly dangerous for me to be on the street. I live low middle-class style. I take public transportation a lot. That probably increases my risk exponentially, but being single and not particularly well-to-do, driving poses more risks and financial problems.
So far, in the past few years, I've been mugged once at knifepoint (dangerous place, and walking with an obvious tourist) and had two cell phones and a garbage can stolen at other times & places. People have attempted to pickpocket me numerous other times, and I think I have also dodged at least two possible muggers.
I don't think I know any Dominican woman at all who hasn't been robbed at least once, usually by pickpocketing. One woman I know has been mugged three times in the last couple of years. Several others have been mugged at least once. I know several American women who have been mugged, and all of them drive their own cars.
Sexual assault (on unknown victims) seems to be much less common than general robbery. I suppose that if you hang out at bars, and/or dress provocatively, your risk would skyrocket, because "she was asking for it" seems to be an acceptable idea here. The thought is that men cannot control themselves, and if given the opportunity, it is only natural that they take advantage of it.
Violent crime has increased dramatically with the increase in drug use here.
There are some things you can do to keep your risks down.
1. Don't look like a tourist. Tourists are targets.
2. Dress dowdy. (Sorry guys.) The more dressed up you are, the more the mugger thinks you have money or expensive items on you. Most of the people I know who have been mugged multiple times are those who dress up with really nice clothes and accessories.
3. Don't flash your cell phone, or camera, or worse wear an ipod.
4. Gold jewelry or expensive accessories? Don't even think of it!
5. Careful crossing those pedestrian bridges. Muggers love them. Don't cross them at night at all. During the day, try to tag along with a group of people, preferably including some women.
6. Stay home after dark. If you must go out, call a taxi. CALL don't just flag one down, when you need to return home. It is also helpful to get a few favorite taxi drivers you feel comfortable with, and use their services when possible.
7. When taking a public car, trust your gut instinct, and don't go if you don't feel comfortable. Also, avoid "piratas"--private cars being driven as public cars. If the windshield isn't cracked, it probably is not safe! LOL
8. Find a safe place to live. If you live alone, everyone will know it, and you easily become a target. My first apt. was over a very quiet colmado, which afforded me a certain amount of safety. They couldn't break in my house without the colmado people seeing them, and the second floor and barred windows made it a little more difficult. I was in a middle class area. I only had a problem once. I heard gunshots, and it was my neighbor who was shooting at a ladron he had just caught coming up my stairs at 3 AM.
Do I like living in Santo Domingo? Absolutely! But that wasn't the question. The question was about safety. Come. Be careful. Enjoy.
