safety at night

misconception: thieves tend to target gringos and tourists.

reality: thieves tend to target idiots.

the truth about the crime down here in brazil is that muggings aren't just reserved for tourists and gringos. they are reserved for people that don't follow the basic rules for safety. this applies to brazilians and foreigners alike.

if you start to ask brazilians and other people that have lived here for awhile, they all have stories about knowing people who have been mugged. and while some of these muggings couldn't have been avoided the majority of these stories will end with someone telling you why it was the persons fault who got mugged and how they could have prevented it.

follow some of the basic rules down here and the likelihood of you getting mugged will drop substantially.

going out at night

• dont bring anything you would be afraid to lose. period. no one does down here unless they want to show off. no jewelry, no watches, nothing fancy. bring only what you need for the night until you get to know the neighborhood. this means, money (in your front pocket always), some ID, and perhaps a cell phone. don't even bring your purse. you don't need it for a few drinks and some dance floor action.
• married with a diamond ring? yeah. even that stays home. take a notice to how married women down here have a stone on their wedding ring. very few.
• what about my camera? i wouldn't get in the habit of bringing it everywhere with you. but hell, everyone needs to take some pictures. just don't whip it out in plain view of shady people to snap some pictures. use it in the bar. not outside the bar.
• walk with intent. you may have heard this one before. that's because it's true. people can pick up on someone that's lost by seeing how they react to their mannerisms on the street. even if you do get lost, walk around like you know exactly where you are.
• ask ONLY employees of businesses for directions or advice. seriously. 
• dark alleys? forget about it.
• like to get wasted? great. grab a taxi home. walk in a group (more than 2 preferably) nothing says, 'hey, take my shit, i'm wasted.' than stumbling down the street.
• at night, if you need to make a phone call, go inside a restaurant, gas station, store, anywhere. don't make that phone call on the street.
• in rio: avoid ANYTHING on a hill. these are generally favelas.
• like to pick fights? i wouldnt recommend it unless you're a real life jackie chan. avoid confrontation at all costs. this may seem obvious, but there are some people out there that think they're tough guys. not only are you in the land of brazilian jiu-jitsu but people that fight down here tend to carry weapons. brazilian jiu-jitsu is taught everywhere down here. i'm not suggesting that everyone is a royce gracie. but chances are they know how to handle themselves and you. plus, you've got pack mentality. mess with one, mess with the bunch.
• boa noite cinderela (good night, cinderella) this is what they call a roofie down here. don't leave that drink unattended. if someone buys you a drink, go for it! however, get that drink from the bartender yourself. trust me, the guy hitting on you will understand.
• don't go him with anyone that you or your friends don't know. if you want a fling, go to a motel. seriously. it's very common down here and acceptable. now, this may seem directed at women, but in reality its just as much of a risk if not more for men. being lured back to the lair of a devil woman waiting to ambush you with her crew does happen.
• know the trouble areas and where to stay away from. (remember, this is for people living and staying for extended periods of time here in brazil NOT just tourists) ask people. they'll tell you. even if they live in a shitty neighborhood, they'll tell you that their neighborhood is shitty.
• do not carry weapons that can be used against you. think you packing a knife around will help you? not if it can be taken from you. worse yet... the police find you have it.

what happens if i do get mugged?

• relax. give them what they want. if you've followed the rules above, you're not going to lose much. do not try and be a hero. it won't work here very often.
• tell the police and file a report if you've lost something substantial. if it was some pocket money or something else trivial let it go or else face a response similar to this:

• don't stress about it. it happens everywhere. grab yourself a beer and revel in the fact that now you like every brazilian have a story about being mugged.
• if the chance arises, tell them that you live in the area. they tend not to shit where they eat. now, i wouldnt make this a point to mash in their face or a threat but more of a... 'hey, we all live here' type of deal.

other stuff

crime down here in brazil is perpetuated by necessity. sure there are crackheads and dickbags that take part in all of this. but for the most part, you need to understand that poor people can feed their family for a month off of that camera they snagged from you. they don't want to hurt anybody. they need to put food on the table and pay rent just like anyone else. i'm not justifying it, just trying to put a little bit more understanding behind it. where i'm from in the US, muggings for the most part are from drug addicts trying to feed their habit. it's not entirely like that down here. their conscious allows them to sleep at night knowing that they put a roof over their family and food on the table, and you lost your luxury item that they could only ever dream of purchasing for themselves.

the other thing to realize is that they know how dangerous it is for themselves to be apart of criminal activity down here. it's not a misdemeanor and a slap on the wrist. they face strong punishment inside the law and outside the law if they get caught.

any other tips to add? stick them in the comments.