Brutally Beaten in Recoleta

[igor]

# 1 Spain: 497,262
# 2 Argentina: 469,899
# 3 United States: 420,637
# 4 South Africa: 228,442
# 5 Mexico: 147,775
# 6 Russia: 132,393
# 7 United Kingdom: 115,480
# 8 Chile: 110,672
# 9 Indonesia: 61,260
# 10 Germany: 58,867

http://www.nationmaster.com/country/ar-argentina/cri-crime

If you click on second tab, there is Per capita information.
Argentina is missing from the list somehow, but probably it should be above Spain and way above the United States.

Spain
Robberies: 497,262
Population: 46 mln
Robberies per 1000 people: 10.8

Argentina
Robberies: 469,899
Population: 40 mln
Robberies per 1000 people: 11.7

United States
Robberies: 420,637
Population: 308 mln
Robberies per 1000 people: 1.4

 

[steveinbsas]

Thank you, Igor. Without the "per capita" information, the list Istar posted was out of context, to say the least.

And the ratio of houses in the US with bars on the windows to the population is even less, I daresay.

The US (in general) is still a remarkably moral country, in spite of what goes on in Washington, D.C.

 

[marksoc]

This forum has some fascists. Everybody knows that the TASERS are going to be used to torture some poor drunk teenager. I hope that the first dead (because there is going to be one, don't doubt it) falls into Macri hands right before the elections. After all, it was his decision.

 

[ElQueso]

To compound matters, I would be willing to bet that a a much higher percentage of assaults are reported in the US than here.

Also, I would be willing to bet that most of the assaults reported in Argentina took place in or around Buenos Aires, maybe even concentrated within Capital Federal.

The per capita rate is probably much higher than is shown in those statistics as a result, and bears out with personal experience as far as the percentage of people I know who have been robbed - which is way more than 1.17%...

BTW - only the cousin's rape was reported to the police out of all the people I know who were assaulted. The rape was not pursued by the police because although she could identify the cab number, she couldn't identify the license number of the cabby himself and that apparently wasn't strong enough of a case for the cops to track the normal driver down and let the young lady identify her attacker (or not if it wasn't the normal driver) The young lady in question was Paraguayan, and I have no idea if that had any bearing on whether that was why it wasn't strong enough or not. Just (perhaps) pertinent details to the case

 

[citygirl]

That's a good point El Queso. Of all the crimes I know that happened personally, I think only 2 were reported to the police (the stolen car for insurance purposes and I believe my friend who was stabbed filed a report). The rest of the people I know who were mugged, etc just kind of figured it was a waste of time to go wait for hours just to file a report when there was nothing that was going to be done.

So I would be willing to bet the statistics are skewed low in Argentina on that report, just from my personal experiences.

 

[orwellian]

Where in BA can one buy pepper spray?

Why do you want to risk your life attacking the robbers? Just give them what they ask for and walk away.

 

[steveinbsas]

Why do you want to risk your life attacking the robbers? Just give them what they ask for and walk away.

This is good advice, but even as you do, remember Benard Getz.

 

[victoria]

I am serious ... what can I get for self defense? In the U.S. you can buy a sound device that makes a piercing loud noise if the wearer activates it. I would like to know what's available here ... I don't have people to surround me every time I go out.

Do take a taxi to my door if it's late. Do wear unflashy clothes, no jewelry, etc. Am extremely cautious now.

p.s. Have a tip for women on the subway: Tie your purse zipper shut with a shoe lace. Sure, it can be cut, but it makes it more time consuming and more noticable for someone to get into your purse. Also, I wear an under-the-clothes travel wallet with steel wire in the straps.

Does anyone else have some effective methods for not being victimized?

 

[orwellian]

This is good advice, but even as you do, remember Benard Getz.

Yeah and that's a great way of being charged with attempted murder. Even if you get off it's no fun experience.

I am serious ... what can I get for self defense?

Murder if you're unlucky.

 

[steveinbsas]

I am serious ... what can I get for self defense? In the U.S. you can buy a sound device that makes a piercing loud noise if the wearer activates it. I would like to know what's available here ... I don't have people to surround me every time I go out.

Does anyone else have some effective methods for not being victimized?

You can get a hand held "sound device" at Easy in palermo in the home alarm section.

You could also get a referee's whistle (which sounds just like the one's the police use here).

Going out late at night simply puts you in harms way in BA, especialy if you are a woman and alone...or drunk and alone, regardles of gender, as Matt unfortuantely discovered.