Basics - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 34

Crime and
personal safety
South America is a continent that suffers
from high levels of poverty. This tends to
go hand in hand with crime levels, which,
while much magnified by tales in the
foreign news media, shouldn't be ignored.
In general, cities are more dangerous than rural
areas, although the very deserted mountain plains
can harbour bandits. Many of the working-class
barrios of big cities are “no-go” areas for tourists,
as are the marginal areas near them. One of the
biggest problems in urban areas is theft , and bag
snatching, handbag slitting and occasional armed
robbery are problems in cities such as Buenos Aires,
Lima, Rio, Salvador, Recife, Georgetown, Quito and
Cusco. Caracas has also experienced an upsurge in
violent crime in the last few years, so extra precau-
tion is recommended there.
Take particular care on the street, in taxis and in
restaurants. Any unsolicited approach from a stranger
should be treated with the utmost suspicion, no
matter how well dressed or trustworthy they may
look. There are obvious preventative measures you
can take to avoid being mugged: avoid isolated and
poorly lit areas, especially at night; never walk along
a beach alone at night, or even in a pair if female.
Keep a particular eye out in busy areas and watch
out on public transport and at bus stations, where
pickpocketing is rife. If travelling by bus, keep your
valuables in your carry-on luggage rather than
stowing them below with your backpack. Make sure
that you are given the numbered receipt corres-
ponding to your bag. If you need to hail a taxi,
get someone at your hotel to recommend one, or
hail a moving one - never get into a “taxi” that just
happens to be parked at the kerbside or which has
two drivers. Avoid wearing expensive jewellery and
watches, dress down, and keep cameras out of sight.
Car-jackings can also be a problem, particularly
in certain areas of Brazil. When driving in the city,
keep doors locked and windows closed, particularly
at night, and be especially vigilant at tra c lights.
Kidnapping of tourists in South America is extre-
mely unlikely.

pack it yourself and don't carry anything - no matter
how innocuous it may seem - for anyone else.
You will find that drugs, particularly marijuana and
cocaine, are fairly ubiquitous in the region, but you
should be aware that they are illegal and that punish-
ments are severe. Tourists are likely to come off much
worse than locals at the hands of the South American
police, something of which the dealers and pushers
are very aware. If you happen to visit a region famed
for drug tra cking, stay well away from anything that
looks (or smells) like trouble.
The only legal high on sale in South America is
the leaves of coca (locals will be keen to point out it
has nothing to do with chemically produced cocaine),
which are particularly popular in Bolivia and Peru.
They are usually used to make mate de coca , a hugely
popular tea in the Andes, and one that's claimed to
cure altitude sickness (among other things). Some
people chew the leaves as this is meant to produce
a mildly intoxicating state, but the taste and texture
may well convince you that you can do without
the alleged high. If you want to try mate de coca
or chewing on coca leaves, be aware that there is a
possibility that you could test positive for cocaine use
in the weeks following your trip.

Reporting crime

In case you are mugged or robbed, you should make
sure that you have a photocopy of your passport and
plane tickets in a safe place. Call the local police
immediately and tell them what happened. It's likely
that they won't do much more than take a statement,
but you'll need it for insurance purposes. In some
South American countries there is a special “tourist
police” force, used to dealing with foreigners and,
hopefully, able to speak English.

Women travellers

Though violent attacks against women travellers
are not very common, many women find that the
barrage of hisses, hoots and comments in parts of
South America comes close to spoiling their trip. Latin
American men are not renowned for their forward-
thinking attitudes towards women's emancipation,
and genuinely see nothing wrong with the heady
sense of machismo that rules much of the continent.
You may find that attitudes are less polarized in
country areas.
There are measures you can take to avoid being
hassled. Don't go to bars or nightclubs alone - this
is an activity only undertaken by prostitutes in the
region, and you will be considered fair game. If you

Drugs

Just say no! In South America drug tra cking is a
huge, ugly and complicated enterprise, and large-
scale dealers love to prey on lost-looking foreigners.
Don't let anyone else touch your luggage, be sure to