The world can be a dangerous place, so planning your personal security needs before you move abroad is essential. The risk of being physically assaulted or falling victim to other types of crime should be considered carefully when you research your new country.
To help you plan for your personal security abroad, we went to a top global expert on the subject to get his advice. Juan Garcia is the owner and chief instructor of High Risk Security Services (HRSS), a New Jersey-based firm that specializes in personal security training.
“Personal security is all about knowing what measures you should take every day in your personal life, both domestically and abroad,” Garcia said. “It all starts with awareness and understanding of where you are going and what the conditions are.”
Some places are more dangerous than others. “There are specific regions of the world certainly that are more dangerous than others,” Garcia said. “Take Latin America, for example. Both Central and South America are very troubled regions of the world, but within the regions, and often within countries, conditions differ. Honduras, for example, is one of the most violent countries in the world, but just to the south, Panama is a relatively safe country.”
Garcia provided many examples of areas of relative safety within troubled regions. “In the Middle East, Oman is very safe, but Yemen is not,” Garcia said. “Egypt and Nigeria are not safe African countries, but Morocco is. In Asia, Pakistan is clearly a dangerous place, but India is much safer.”
Closer to home, we asked Garcia about drug cartel violence in Mexico. “I think some of those issues are exaggerated,” he said. “Mexico is dangerous, but again there are certain areas that are dangerous, just like in the U.S. If you are selling drugs or working in the human trafficking business, you will find violence. But if you are working for a company, starting a business or a retiree, there are no more security concerns than here in the United States. And again, it depends on where you live or travel.”
Most areas in Mexico, especially the major tourist centers, are generally safe, as shown in this interactive map of Mexico’s crime rate by geographic location.
Garcia told us that the types of personal security issues differ by country. Most nations, like the United States, have their share of robberies, burglaries, stolen vehicles, pick pocketing and other common crimes, but some countries have much higher levels of more serious crime, like homicide and kidnapping.
“If you are going to Nigeria and working in the oil and gas industry, then kidnapping is a prominent threat,” Garcia said. “In Venezuela, express kidnappings – where they put a gun to your head and make you take money out of an ATM – is a serious threat. Again, it depends on the region and the country.”
Garcia said expats worry most about highway and ATM robbery and home invasions. “Expat home invasions happen because criminals know that they have money and nice things in their homes, probably jewelry and extra cash and credit cards,” he said. “ATM robbery also is still a common trend, particularly in Latin America.”
Are there safe havens within each country? “Let’s go back to several of the Latin American countries,” Garcia said. “In Honduras, the coastal cities and the eastern part of the country are some of the most dangerous places in the world. Central Honduras, though, is much safer. Along Mexico’s border with the U.S., crime is high, but Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and other tourist areas, for example, are generally safe. You really have to break it down not only by country but specific areas within the country.”
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