Most of the world is pretty safe, believe it or not, contrary to what you may hear from the TV. Of course, there are variations. Generally, Asia is the safest region in the world, especially East and South-East Asia. Muslim countries are generally very safe as long as there is no warfare there, which we will talk more about later. Central and South America can be a tad intimidating, especially if you wander into wrong areas, but I still wouldn’t consider most of the countries there dangerous for travelers. One exception is Venezuela, which unfortunately, is experiencing an extreme economic downturn which causes all sorts of crime waves in the country, so decide responsibly whether to go there or not. Africa might be the most dangerous continent for a foreign traveler, so consider joining a group or having your own group when going there. And again, even in Africa, there are plenty of perfectly safe destinations.
I have to mention Europe here, since it is a popular backpacking destination and people don’t realze how easily you can be robbed or attacked in almost any European city. Watch out for any unusual crowds around you, especially when there are lot of kids, and for gods sakes, mind your belongings. Nowher in the world is it as important to always keep a hold of your pockets, not leave your bag unattended even for a few seconds and not yapper on your mobile phone in an empty street than in big European cities such as Barcelona, Rome or Paris. London is a notable exception, as knife crime is a major issue there.
Fortunately, violent crime is still rare in Europe, so there’s no need to panic. Same applies for the Middle East – you are much more likely to encounter thieves than armed robbers.
Basically, safety is 100% common sense. Keen an eye on your stuff; don’t flash expensive things; have your purse or your camera strap firmly wrapped around your wrist when you walk about; hold on to your pockets when exiting a crowded bus or train; keep your money in 2-3 separate stacks and not all in your wallet; use a hotel safe if there is one. And be very mindful of your credit and debit cards overseas. There are just too many ways to get scammed or ripped off by a misuse of plastic. Always remember to take your card out of ATM machines – I know it sounds straightforward, but I’ve been guilty of getting distracted and forgetting them there.
With regards to physical attacks, there one can hardly prepare you for it, especially if it’s never happened to you. It’s always a shocking and scary experience, but as I said, it’s unlikely to happen to you. In case it does happen, always assess the risk of fighting versus fleeing versus submitting. If you don’t have much of value on you, it might make more sense to just give the robbers some money or your mobile phone or your camera. If you are not preparered to do that, your options are fight or escape. And by escape, I mean RUN. If you are near a busy place or somewhere where there might be people, dash for it, scream if you must, knock on doors. Trust me, it’s better than getting into a potentially dangerous fight with a local who was bold enough to attack a foreigner.
If all else fails, or if it’s a situation of your assailants wanting more than money, and ladies know what I mean, then you have to go for it and defend yourself. Sometimes you might have to throw the first punch or blow, and I won’t go into too much detail here as there are plenty of instructions and articles on how to behave in a street fight of fend off a would-be rapist or a drunk attacker.
Personally, I usually carry a folding knife who can be opened with one hand. This is not a multitool or a Swiss Army knife; this is a blade-only survival instrument which can also be used in self-defense. Just keep in mind that no matter how small a knife is, it is a deadly weapon, and even if, god forbid, a situation will call for your use of it, you may well end up in all sorts of trouble afterwards. Therefore, show it as a warning in a tough situation, but think a hundred times before you actually use it against somebody. A knife like that doesn’t have to be expensive; in fact, a great example can be found for under 10 bucks.
In bar fights, if you are not the one being attacked, you are better off staying out of the brawl and let bouncers or locals deal with it. Don’t attempt to break up a fight if it doesn’t concern you; I know it would seem like the right thing to do at times, but by getting into the fight, even with the purpose to stop it, you become a part of it, and thus, a fair game for the assailants. This is particularly true in Asia, and trust me, you do not want to get in a fight with drunken or simply angry folks in Asia. Once a face is lost, it’s all means necessary.
A word for women. As I mentioned, unlike guys, who typically represent an interest to thugs because of their belongings, you have another reason for interest for some villains out there. And I am sure that unless you are from a country where sexual crimes are rare, you have developed a certain strategy and methodology of preventing potentially dangerous scenarios and deescalating them should they arise. Well, don’t make a mistake of dropping your guard just because you are in a foreign country. Things can happen almost anywhere. You wouldn’t take your eyes away from a drink that a stranger bought you ask home, so don’t do it abroad. You wouldn’t flirt with a random guy late at night on the street home, so don’t do it in a foreign country. Again, all common sense. By the way, guys, slipping “mickeys” into drinks that someone buys for your is all too common a way to rid you off your belongings, too, so don’t keep your ears and eyes open and pay attention to your surroundings all the time.
All this stuff is mostly common sense, so don’t feel like you have to worry about safety all the time. With time, following these simple tips will become second nature, and you would do well following them even at home.