do males get robbed more in BA??

[LaurenW]

I am wondering your thoughts on this theme that I've been contemplating for a few months. I have come to lean towards the conclusion that Buenos Aires thieves are more likely to target males, though I am far from 100%.

My rationale is that:
1) guys are more likely to have more cash (open for debate, but I know guys pay a lot more in restaurants and in boliches than the women)
2) the thieves feel more macho targeting men than women (a pride thing)

I know women still do get robbed. But if a thief had to go for a single man or a single woman (barring some huge muscular dude), who would they choose?

 

[Napoleon]

I think that single women are easier targets than single men.

They're easier to overpower (in general) and their purse is easier to pull away (vs getting money out of any number of pockets for a man).

That's all personal opinion, that has nothing to do with research.

 

[DontMindMe]

There aren't any reliable crime statistics published, so it is impossible to know for sure. Do keep in mind that robbery is not the same as theft is not the same as burglary, etc. Robbery=theft+force or threat of force. So pick pocketing or taking someone's purse off the back of a chair when she's not looking are not examples of robbery. Pushing a woman away as you try to pull her purse off her arm would indeed be an example of robbery.

Pure speculation based on nothing in particular: I think women are less likely to fight back or put up a struggle during a robbery attempt. They also might be more likely to cooperate and give up the item so that nothing worse happens.

 

[PhilipDT]

I would have said the opposite. I don't think the thieves here have much pride, their mostly a bunch of underaged strung out paco addicts from the villa or casas tomadas. I think they're going to go for the easier target.

 

[va2ba]

You think that a thief will rob a man instead of a woman as a matter of pride?? If it is a matter of pride, then why don't they find an honest way to make a buck?

And if it is a matter of pride, then I would love to know why they tried to steal from my pregnant wife last year.

I don't think that pride plays a factor at all. They don't care if they rob a man or a woman, they just pick the easiest target that they can and go for it. If they see a nice cellphone, they will go for it. If they see someone with a passport or someone who looks like they don't belong, then they will go for it.

It is not a matter of pride, it is a matter of cowardice. Pick the easiest target and go for it.

 

[Heather G]

In 9 years here we've only been mugged once, in Palermo, by two drunk guys who obviously thought of doing it the moment they saw us and not before, they wanted his wallet and didn't even look at me or ask for my purse....

 

[joemama]

From my experience women get robbed a lot more than men. Seems that blonds also get targeted more, as having blond hair is almost always a good foreigner detector.

 

[HeyBA]

Yeah, I wonder if it has gotten worse, not in the total number of incidents, but for what it is like to be new here. When you've been here awhile, it's a lot easier to negotiate situations. You know where you are going, and where not to go. You can bust back in relatively fluent castellano if approached to show that you are local and not to be messed with. You know where and when to transport valuables. You know to have your guard up, and to watch for tricks and traps.

I think it's gotten pretty risky to have your initiatory phase in Buenos Aires transpire at present.

 

[HeyBA]

And regarding women and men, I get the feeling that men would be targeted more, because they might have more money and because even some street thieves have a code.

But the above is hearsay and not empirical. Women are at a much greater safety risk in general. I can't imagine what it would be like to be a female alone at night on the streets of this city.

 

[LaurenW]

I just asked because I'm surprised with blonde hair and blue eyes I've never once been robbed in BA in 8 months. I take colectivos nearly exclusively and walk on the streets past midnight alone often (not bc I think I'm invincible, just out of necessity). From this thread it seems I should be doomed. Knock on wood.