Do you feel safe in Ireland?

Nodin

not yet wrote: »

I've a Larry Murphy living on my street....should I be scared.

Only if he's a genuine Larry Murphy. Check for the stamp behind the right ear.

Sprrratt

Teens dont feel safe because of the inner city grasshole teens.

Shenshen

Short answer? Yes.

Odd question, though.

jpm4

me@ucd wrote: »

depends how much of the propoganda you expose yourself to

This.

The idea that you could attacked anywhere in Dublin is ridiculous to be honest. Of course it could happen (just as it could anywhere) but it does not mean it is very likely.

Shenshen

Wibbs wrote: »

In general Ireland is a pretty safe country by EU standards and very safe by comparison to places like Mexico say. What I have found in my travels and maybe this is a personal thing, is that in other countries and major cities, there are well dodgy areas, but if you steer clear of them you're generally fine, whereas in Dublin anyway, you could be attacked pretty much anywhere. Like I say maybe that's just me?

I used to live in Dublin, and now in Cork, and I agree to some degree there.
I'm from Germany originally, and you would have bad areas where you just didn't go.
Here, you get bad areas just literally around the corner from nice areas, it's much more mixed up. That does make it more difficult avoiding dodgy places.

That said, the general levels of aggression in this country are much lower.
Last year alone, there were several incidences of people being attacked and in two separate cases actually beaten to death on public transport.

Iguana Bob

im living in brazil rite now, compared to this place ireland is like walking throught a meadow full of bunnies. a family living in a house down the road was brokein into the kids and wife tied up and petrol poured over them and told if the father didnt open the safe his family would be burned alive. thinks like this arent uncommon. my girlfriends uncle was shot and killed in a robbery 2 years ago and her grandmother house has been broken into 3 times since then. girlfriend was robbed twice in the street at like 10am once with a knif and second time with a gun seems to be a never ending supply of people of criminals here.

Big Nasty

Iguana Bob wrote: »

im living in brazil rite now, compared to this place ireland is like walking throught a meadow full of bunnies. a family living in a house down the road was brokein into the kids and wife tied up and petrol poured over them and told if the father didnt open the safe his family would be burned alive. thinks like this arent uncommon. my girlfriends uncle was shot and killed in a robbery 2 years ago and her grandmother house has been broken into 3 times since then. girlfriend was robbed twice in the street at like 10am once with a knif and second time with a gun seems to be a never ending supply of people of criminals here.

Yeah, but the cicas are hot!

af_thefragile

jpm4 wrote: »

This.

The idea that you could attacked anywhere in Dublin is ridiculous to be honest. Of course it could happen (just as it could anywhere) but it does not mean it is very likely.

There isn't a street in Dublin where you wouldn't come across a bunch of scumbags who are upto no good...

Sure the chances of every scumbag you come across ending up mugging you isn't very high but there are many who harass you for the "craic" and few who will mug you given the opportunity.

And this gets worse at night. Dublin really doesn't feel very safe during night time. Too many drunk and dodgy looking people on the streets...

It is true the chances of you getting killed or even stabbed in Dublin are relatively low compared to other countries but there are still too many dodgy people walking around who have nothing better to do than harass people...

Dravokivich

af_thefragile wrote: »

You also have to keep you car doors locked when driving in the city centre as its beginning very common where scumbags will open your car doors to try to steal something while you're waiting at traffic lights...

If this is a new thing to you... you haven't lived in Dublin long enough. My folks locked the car doors before putting on their seatbelts then starting the car when I was a kid.

Sure you can be attacked anywhere in Dublin, but as Wibbs said, he's noticed there are clear dodgey area's in other countries.

But those would be in Cities 5 - 7 times the size of Dublin City, and the dodgey area would be the same size as the city here. In that regards you've really got to consider perspective. Since it's such a small area here, it's really easy to mug someone up by Dame St then run off and mug someone on Grafton Street run off to Westmoreland Street all before a garda got to Dame Street to take care of the first mugging...

Not that I'm making any suggestions or implying an issue with Gardaí...

Overall, yes I feel safe.

This is coming from a guy who on 2 seperate occassions a gang of 3 people attempted to mug and has been assaulted while walking to get a bus.

Under both circumstances I never once felt my life was threatened or in severe risk.

jpm4

af_thefragile wrote: »

There isn't a street in Dublin where you wouldn't come across a bunch of scumbags who are upto no good...

Sure the chances of every scumbag you come across ending up mugging you isn't very high but there are many who harass you for the "craic" and few who will mug you given the opportunity.

And this gets worse at night. Dublin really doesn't feel very safe during night time. Too many drunk and dodgy looking people on the streets...

It is true the chances of you getting killed or even stabbed in Dublin are relatively low compared to other countries but there are still too many dodgy people walking around who have nothing better to do than harass people...

OK you mainly seem to be talking about the perception of danger there though which is a bit different and pretty subjective. I may walk past the same gang of knick knacks without being too bothered about it at all.

It's funny though when this kind of question is posed and people automatically zero in on things like crime, when in reality you are probably more likely to be injured or killed in a car accident. People in general aren't great at perceiving the risks that really matter, and I think the media must take a lot of the blame for that.

maninasia

Princess Peach wrote: »

No guns, no poisonous snakes or spiders, no bears, lions or any animal who could really kill you, no hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes, no chance of war being declared.

Pretty safe country alright!

But the question was is 'do you feel safe in Ireland'. I live in a country with almost all those issues...they are not common everyday issues. I feel much safer here than Ireland!

af_thefragile

I would actually like to live where there are bears, lions, tornados, hurricanes and such...
It makes the place much more exciting...

Or maybe its just me. I like extreme weather.
I also like places where people are nice, hospitable and don't harass you...

conorhal

Well it's not dangerous at all, as compared to say, Brazil.
BUT, it has become considerably more dangerous than it was even ten years ago.
There have always been scumbags, but these days they seem far more brash, leery and likely to get up in your face. There have always been scraps on the street, but what once usually started and ended with a few thumps traded now seems to routinely extend to stabbing a person or kicking them in the head while they lie unconscious on the ground.
What really scares me is how inured we are to it all, the prospect of being the subject of an unprovoked attack in broad daylight by a group of feral scumbags is less scary to me then the certain knowledge that we have become a society that look the other away or keep on walking in the event that it does happen. It's scary to think that nobody will help you.

maninasia

af_thefragile wrote: »

I would actually like to live where there are bears, lions, tornados, hurricanes and such...
It makes the place much more exciting...

Or maybe its just me. I like extreme weather.
I also like places where people are nice, hospitable and don't harass you...

Yeah you get to to 'surf' the earthquakes on the 20th floor, see the odd landslide or two during a typhoon...or a car floating by. But seriously you can protect yourself from these things very easily by living in a solid new building or away from mountains and rivers, it's the random violent attacks on people and their families that makes me feel Ireland is not particularly safe.

Pace2008

Yeah, I generally feel at ease here.

With a bit of smarts you'd be unlucky to run into trouble. Only one negative incident in recollection, where I had my thumb half bitten off by a junkie. Didn't affect my attitude in any way; **** happens.

That was down near Connolly station at night, though, and I'd usually avoid those kind of locations after dark. The main streets in Dublin city centre feel safe enough, but stray off the beaten track and things go downhill pretty fast. Having council flats so close to the main streets is a terrible idea.

scientific1982

In general I feel very safe in most parts of the country.

scientific1982

Pace2008 wrote: »

Yeah, I generally feel at ease here.

With a bit of smarts you'd be unlucky to run into trouble. Only one negative incident in recollection, where I had my thumb half bitten off by a junkie. Didn't affect my attitude in any way; **** happens.

That was down near Connolly station at night, though, and I'd usually avoid those kind of locations after dark. The main streets in Dublin city centre feel safe enough, but stray off the beaten track and things go downhill pretty fast. Having council flats so close to the main streets is a terrible idea.

Bloody hell, thats nasty enough. Did you get it attached back on.

maninasia

Pace2008 wrote: »

Yeah, I generally feel at ease here.

With a bit of smarts you'd be unlucky to run into trouble. Only one negative incident in recollection, where I had my thumb half bitten off by a junkie. Didn't affect my attitude in any way; **** happens.

That was down near Connolly station at night, though, and I'd usually avoid those kind of locations after dark. The main streets in Dublin city centre feel safe enough, but stray off the beaten track and things go downhill pretty fast. Having council flats so close to the main streets is a terrible idea.

Actually that kind of **** doesn't really happen in most countries. You just got conditioned to it because you grew up in this situation. You also had a risk of contracting HIV and losing an appendage, that was a serious assualt.

If you have a family (I know many posters are quite young) you will think about safety more, not just your personal safety.

Also people need a frame of reference, Ireland might be safe compared to Brazil or South Africa (which are hellish in some respects), but not good overall compared to many Asian and European countries.

af_thefragile

maninasia wrote: »

Yeah you get to to 'surf' the earthquakes on the 20th floor, see the odd landslide or two during a typhoon...or a car floating by. But seriously you can protect yourself from these things very easily by living in a solid new building or away from mountains and rivers, it's the random violent attacks on people and their families that makes me feel Ireland is not particularly safe.

It makes for good TV atleast. Look at the shows on discovery channels where people go hunting down tornados or drive upto a volcano or go film lions or bears and stuff like that.

Like if you built a strong house with an underground bunker or something then it should be pretty much tornado/earthquake/hurricane proof.

But can't stop you getting harassed by a bunch of scumbags. Worse is you can't really do anything to them cuz if you fight them or beat up a bunch of kids, you'll have to deal with 10 bigger scummers... Its like leveling up in a game!!

common sense brigade

I have felt safe since I moved to the Country.Co Clare. Im originally from a big Town in Co Wicklow.This town has got lovely people but also a big criminal element and drug problem. It had a head shop but i am not sure if it still has. Here is a list of instances I encountered in last 4 months in my hometown.
Drug addict slit his wrists in a derelict building site next to my mothers house and called in and asked for help. Mothe rang am ambulance.
Brother in laws car stolen from front garden
Sister car stolen from her front garden
A recently let out drug addict wandering our road with a kitchen knife , running it up and down peoples gates and mumbling incoherantly
A postal robbery on the same road involving masked men and guns
My best mate was attacked getting off the local bus because he has long hair and was carrying a guitar. He was set upon and broke his wrist.
I grew up here and love the town but wanted a better life for my daughter so we made a new life, got new jobs and just left. I do someday want to return when my parents are older cos i wouldnt leave them alone in old age.

Pace2008

scientific1982 wrote: »

Bloody hell, thats nasty enough. Did you get it attached back on.

Lol, hyperbole on my part. It was just a nasty bite I'd rather no have endured, didn't go through the bone or anything.

maninasia wrote: »

If you have a family (I know many posters are quite young) you will think about safety more, not just your personal safety.

The question was whether I felt safe in Ireland, so I addressed that.

Shenshen

maninasia wrote: »

Actually that kind of **** doesn't really happen in most countries. You just got conditioned to it because you grew up in this situation. You also had a risk of contracting HIV and losing an appendage, that was a serious assualt.

If you have a family (I know many posters are quite young) you will think about safety more, not just your personal safety.

Also people need a frame of reference, Ireland might be safe compared to Brazil or South Africa (which are hellish in some respects), but not good overall compared to many Asian and European countries.

How many people were beaten to death in broad daylight on public transport in Ireland last year?

I don't know what European countries you're comparing Ireland to here, but I can't think of many with lower levels of violent crime.
As for Asia, with the exception of Singapore, most of them would DREAM of peaceful conditions like Ireland.

Iguana Bob

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Yeah, but the cicas are hot!

checkmate, im stayin!!

prinz

Shenshen wrote: »

How many people were beaten to death in broad daylight on public transport in Ireland last year?

You are comparing a country of 4 million to a country of 80+ million... and it may not have occured on public transport but plenty of people have been beaten to death in Ireland in the last few years. The last guilty parties I saw up in court walked away with 4 and 5 year prison sentences for it.

As for public transport I have been involved in quiet a number of unsavoury incidents. Let's not pretend that a feeling of safety is only compromised by death. People are going on personal experiences, and in mine, yeah periods living in France, Belgium and Germany....and have never felt in danger for myself. If I don't feel safe because of anti-social little rats on the streets, looking up statistics isn't going to help, what do you want people to do? Print off stats and keep them in your pocket so the next time someone tries to intimidate you etc show it to them?

maninasia

You are wrong mate, as a long time resident of Asia I can tell you most countries are very safe (especially North Asia) random violence is very very rare. Drugs are strictly controlled, let me tell you it works well. Alcohol is not abused to the same extent, especially not by young people or women.

I visit Germany sometimes, it has none of the scumbags hanging around streets like in Ireland. Plus people don't get off their face on drink and drugs and then go around looking for fights. Most trouble in Ireland is caused by alcohol and drug abuse, it is the real shame of our nation.

prinz

maninasia wrote: »

I visit Germany sometimes, it has none of the scumbags hanging around streets like in Ireland. Plus people don't get off their face on drink and drugs and then go around looking for fights. Most trouble in Ireland is caused by alcohol and drug abuse, it is the real shame of our nation.

Agree and disagree. You certainly get the elements who would be 'scumbags' but they generally keep to themselves and stick to certain areas. What you don't get is people 10 years younger than you, in the middle of the day, basically attempting to threaten and intimidate you for the crime of walking down a residential street.

In smaller towns and villages around Ireland you won't get it either. But around the bigger towns and cities it's rife.

Shenshen

prinz wrote: »

You are comparing a country of 4 million to a country of 80+ million... and it may not have occured on public transport but plenty of people have been beaten to death in Ireland in the last few years. The last guilty parties I saw up in court walked away with 4 and 5 year prison sentences for it.

As for public transport I have been involved in quiet a number of unsavoury incidents. Let's not pretend that a feeling of safety is only compromised by death. People are going on personal experiences, and in mine, yeah periods living in France, Belgium and Germany....and have never felt in danger for myself.

Exactly. It's a small country, and I do think that does contribute significantly to the low numbers of crimes, not just as totals but also in relation to the number of inhabitants.
It seems to be a general rule that the larger the country, the higher the crime rates, although I wouldn't know the underlying social factors coming into play there.
I quoted the number of deaths simply because I don't know about the numbers of other violent incidents. I would guess though that there is a quite significant number of incidents and those two deaths weren't exactly coming out of the blue.

As for personal experiences, the only thing that ever happened to me was somebody trying to get into my house through an open window at night. When I noticed and started shouting at him, he legged it.

maninasia

prinz wrote: »

Agree and disagree. You certainly get the elements who would be 'scumbags' but they generally keep to themselves and stick to certain areas. What you don't get is people 10 years younger than you, in the middle of the day, basically attempting to threaten and intimidate you for the crime of walking down a residential street.

In smaller towns and villages around Ireland you won't get it either. But around the bigger towns and cities it's rife.

Do you get groups of junkies hanging around your capital's main streets in broad daylight, shooting up and harrassing people? Check out the Liffey boardwalk in Dublin. Dublin always had a junkie problem, it has just resurfaced now again.

Shenshen

maninasia wrote: »

I visit Germany sometimes, it has none of the scumbags hanging around streets like in Ireland. Plus people don't get off their face on drink and drugs and then go around looking for fights. Most trouble in Ireland is caused by alcohol and drug abuse, it is the real shame of our nation.

After having lived in Germany for well over 30 years before coming here, I cannot agree.
The number of scumbags and random violence is far higher in my experience than anywhere in Ireland.
The big difference is that the German media tend not to report on violent deaths unless they are particularly gruesome. Most of them will only show up in police statistics and the public never hears about them.

Shenshen

maninasia wrote: »

Do you get groups of junkies hanging around your capital's main streets in broad daylight, shooting up and harrassing people? Check out the Liffey boardwalk in Dublin. Dublin always had a junkie problem, it has just resurfaced now again.

Have you ever been to Berlin or Munich? If you have I cannot for the life of me imagine how you could ask such a question.

maninasia

I've not been to those cities but been to others numerous times, I've seen junkies in Frankfurt but only on quiet deserted streets at night. It does depend where you live in Ireland/Dublin too, but Dublin has always been a city rife with junkies and scumbags...take a bus or a train or walk the streets.. you will see them everywhere.

prinz

Shenshen wrote: »

Exactly. It's a small country, and I do think that does contribute significantly to the low numbers of crimes, not just as totals but also in relation to the number of inhabitants..

We're not just strictly talking about crimes though... personally it's all the low-level stuff of just people acting the bollix.

I don't feel unsafe because I am afraid of being murdered per se, or raped or burgled. I feel unsafe because it is so common to be put into situations where that is a possibility. Down the country you go about your business no one will bother you, I'm on the northside Dublin, I had that experience at the weekend, I have been spat on on Henry St. middle of the day, verbally abused countless times, nearly had my head taken off by a beer bottle thrown at me one day, I've lost count of the instances of witnessing verbal abuse (racism, bullying, etc), been followed home by a gang once because I wouldn't buy them drink, been given a kick in the back by some randomer... etc. I could go on and I am probably forgetting a few. What makes it worse is that almost all of the incidents involving myself were done by teens/early 20's, and all for no particular reason other than someone thought it would be funny/they were bored whatever.


and none of them you can actually do anything about, and when you tell people, the general advice is not to get involved, walk away etc.

af_thefragile

Is it just me or have scumbags become more hostile lately?

Like I remember a few years ago, back in the good happy ol boom days, the scumbags weren't really that bad. Like sure they'ld try to harass you and such but if you speak to them, they'ld be sorta cool at the end of the day and won't really harm you. Most of them atleast.

Now they're more looking for trouble and looking to mug you if they get the opportunity.

Or maybe i've just become more paranoid since Ireland has taken the plunge since the recession...

prinz

maninasia wrote: »

Do you get groups of junkies hanging around your capital's main streets in broad daylight, shooting up and harrassing people? Check out the Liffey boardwalk in Dublin. Dublin always had a junkie problem, it has just resurfaced now again.

I agree Dublin is a disaster, but I have to say there are places in German cities where you will also find junkies doing their thing, often around the main train stations for example. Not particular nice but I have never been approached or hassled by them. Not once. I mind my business, they mind theirs. Everyone's happy... if only that would apply here.

maninasia

prinz wrote: »

We're not just strictly talking about crimes though... personally it's all the low-level stuff of just people acting the bollix.

I don't feel unsafe because I am afraid of being murdered per se, or raped or burgled. I feel unsafe because it is so common to be put into situations where that is a possibility. Down the country you go about your business no one will bother you, I'm on the northside Dublin, I had that experience at the weekend, I have been spat on on Henry St. middle of the day, verbally abused countless times, nearly had my head taken off by a beer bottle thrown at me one day, I've lost count of the instances of witnessing verbal abuse (racism, bullying, etc), been followed home by a gang once because I wouldn't buy them drink, been given a kick in the back by some randomer... etc. I could go on and I am probably forgetting a few. What makes it worse is that almost all of the incidents involving myself were done by teens/early 20's, and all for no particular reason other than someone thought it would be funny/they were bored whatever.


and none of them you can actually do anything about, and when you tell people, the general advice is not to get involved, walk away etc.

This is what I mean by not feeling safe in Dublin. A lot of young people get kicks out of abusing other people, usually other young people. They don't fear the justice system or the Guards. There is no fear. Try doing that in the US or in Italy or France or many Asian countries...you will be sorted quickly! Every society should have a carrot and a stick but in Ireland the stick was abandoned completely due to false PC beliefs about how society and humans behave.

Pace2008

I think in foreign countries, our perception of the general threat level may not be accurate.

It can go both ways: one might feel uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings, and perceive a sense of danger when there is none. On the flip side, in Ireland I'd generally be able to recognise through experience a group of potential knackers by dress-sense, accent and mannersims, whereas in foreign countries I wouldn't be nearly as familiar with the tell-tale signs with which I could identify unsavoury sorts.

Shenshen

prinz wrote: »

We're not just strictly talking about crimes though... personally it's all the low-level stuff of just people acting the bollix.

I don't feel unsafe because I am afraid of being murdered per se, or raped or burgled. I feel unsafe because it is so common to be put into situations where that is a possibility. Down the country you go about your business no one will bother you, I'm on the northside Dublin, I had that experience at the weekend, I have been spat on on Henry St. middle of the day, verbally abused countless times, nearly had my head taken off by a beer bottle thrown at me one day, I've lost count of the instances of witnessing verbal abuse (racism, bullying, etc), been followed home by a gang once because I wouldn't buy them drink, been given a kick in the back by some randomer... etc. I could go on and I am probably forgetting a few. What makes it worse is that almost all of the incidents involving myself were done by teens/early 20's, and all for no particular reason other than someone thought it would be funny/they were bored whatever.


and none of them you can actually do anything about, and when you tell people, the general advice is not to get involved, walk away etc.

True, but as with the cases of people getting killed, to every serious crime there usually is a lot of minor crimes and antisocial behaviour. You don't usually get the more serious behaviour just popping up randomly.

Mister men

I've lived in several cities around the World in the last 20 or so odd years and per capita Dublin is the most violent city i've lived in. Problem is without a doubt getting worse. I've been attacked twice in the last 6 months for no reason at all, once in Rialto walking to the luas and once in a hospital A&E whilst working. I see a lot more young people are carrying knives around with them and are willing to use them also.:(

common sense brigade

Down the country you go about your business no one will bother you

This is true since I moved to a rural are in Co Clare , 3 years ago I have not witnessed a single episode of violence or minor abuse like kids slagging etc. Just every man /woman/child here seems to be able to live happily and peacefully. Even the teenagers are different, they are into their GAA and studies. My old home town is very scary compared to here. Im my old home town gangs of unruly teenagers would hang around the local shops intimidating people. And they are getting nastier and nastier. I was forever ringing the guards about anti social behaviour.

prinz

Shenshen wrote: »

True, but as with the cases of people getting killed, to every serious crime there usually is a lot of minor crimes and antisocial behaviour. You don't usually get the more serious behaviour just popping up randomly.

Yeah possibly but like I said, I haven't come across it where I've lived, and again my wife would think nothing of going on a night out in Dusseldorf and travelling back to Koln, or to visit friends late at night by walking across a city in Germany.

Right now, she doesn't want to take a 5 minute walk from our place in Dublin. She's not afraid of getting murdered or raped or mugged. She's basically afraid of bullies, who get their kicks bullying strangers on the street.

Mister men

af_thefragile wrote: »

Is it just me or have scumbags become more hostile lately?

Like I remember a few years ago, back in the good happy ol boom days, the scumbags weren't really that bad. Like sure they'ld try to harass you and such but if you speak to them, they'ld be sorta cool at the end of the day and won't really harm you. Most of them atleast.

Now they're more looking for trouble and looking to mug you if they get the opportunity.

Or maybe i've just become more paranoid since Ireland has taken the plunge since the recession...

Your not paranoid. Believe it or not the head shops closing down has a lot to do with the increase in violence we are witnessing. Junkies are becoming more desperate for cash as the dealers charge more than the shops did and are willing to jump someone for cash if they feel the urge. Most of the dealers are selling the head shop drugs at a premium now.

Shenshen

It might be interesting to have a look at this statistic at this point. Ireland can be found at # 32, well below most other European countries.

af_thefragile

Shenshen wrote: »

It might be interesting to have a look at this statistic at this point. Ireland can be found at # 32, well below most other European countries.

But it depends on what you define as crime.
In Ireland killing, raping, robbery etc. is not very common.
In Ireland you're more likely to be killed and/or raped by someone you know such as your husband, boyfriend, wife, girlfriend etc. Its pretty rare.

Yet small crimes such as scumbags and drunks harassing people on the street and junkies mugging people is a lot more common. These kind of incidents don't really get reported much.

bonerm

Pace2008 wrote: »

I think in foreign countries, our perception of the general threat level may not be accurate.

It can go both ways: one might feel uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings, and perceive a sense of danger when there is none. On the flip side, in Ireland I'd generally be able to recognise through experience a group of potential knackers by dress-sense, accent and mannersims, whereas in foreign countries I wouldn't be nearly as familiar with the tell-tale signs with which I could identify unsavoury sorts.

True. Worse still it has a doubling effect because sometimes we'll even anticipate potential trouble where there is none based on our perception of particular groups we are familiar with.

Shenshen

prinz wrote: »

Yeah possibly but like I said, I haven't come across it where I've lived, and again my wife would think nothing of going on a night out in Dusseldorf and travelling back to Koln, or to visit friends late at night by walking across a city in Germany.

Right now, she doesn't want to take a 5 minute walk from our place in Dublin. She's not afraid of getting murdered or raped or mugged. She's basically afraid of bullies, who get their kicks bullying strangers on the street.

I haven't lived in Dublin for 3 years now, but while I was living there I personally was feeling a lot safer than when I was living in Leipzig while I was at university.
While I was still living at home in a fairly small town in Germany, my mum would go ballistic if I stayed out and walked home past 9 o'clock in the evenings, summer or winter. She forced me to take a taxi for a journey that would have taken me less than 10 minutes by foot, she was too worried about what I might run into otherwise.

Ash.J.Williams

Augmerson wrote: »

Let me be short and to the point: do you feel safe living in this country?

very much so

kerryman12

feeling safe somewhere, anywhere is a state of mind. As long as you apply some common sense most people will go through life blissfully untouched by crime.

Generally yes I feel safe in this country.

Shenshen

af_thefragile wrote: »

But it depends on what you define as crime.
In Ireland killing, raping, robbery etc. is not very common.
In Ireland you're more likely to be killed and/or raped by someone you know such as your husband, boyfriend, wife, girlfriend etc. Its pretty rare.

Yet small crimes such as scumbags and drunks harassing people on the street and junkies mugging people is a lot more common. These kind of incidents don't really get reported much.

The source data is the Eighth United Nations Survey on Crime Trends and the Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (2002) (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Centre for International Crime Prevention), according to the web site.

And don't think that it's particular to Ireland that most murders and rapes are committed by people who are related or friends of the victims, that is a global issue.
But true, the statistic could only take into account reported incidents, which is why I guess Mexico is so far down in the list.

prinz

kerryman12 wrote: »

feeling safe somewhere, anywhere is a state of mind. As long as you apply some common sense most people will go through life blissfully untouched by crime.Generally yes I feel safe in this country.

There is more to feeling safe than not being directly affected by crime. Which some people apparently can't understand. I am sure the kid getting bullied day in, day out at school feels 'safer' because what's happening to him technically may not be a 'crime'.

Dudess

I certainly do. Yes of course there are pockets which are unsafe, but overall it is an extremely safe country.