Is it safe to go out of my apartment in the dark?

[jiacinto]

nt

[XanaDUer]

1. Well,

Miami-Dade has some pretty scary crime statistics.

Guess you have to use good judgment.

[leftyandproud]

2. get a gun...

and a concealed carry permit...

sleep well at night.

[Skittles]

3. big difference

between men and women

[TXlib]

4. The punk who robbed you

probably has no interest in risking a second encounter.

However, I reiterate my previous advice.

Buy a handgun, learn to use it, and put a nice, tight grouping of holes through his chest if you ever see him again.

[Superfly]

6. Whoa...

If you ever see him again, tell the cops.

If he tries to rob you again, then defend yourself.

[JVS]

5. I would be nervous too after what you experienced

I wouldn't want to go out either.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. No. Definately not.

Didn't you get mugged last night? That pretty much fits my definition of 'unsafe'.

[XanaDUer]

8. I've lived in both Miami-Dade and NYC

Crime is worse in Miami.

I would not shoot the assailant if you see him, call the cops , of course.

I also had a car stolen in Miami, wow, all these memories of South Florida.

But where I live now has tons of crimes, too.

[TrogL]

9. Carlos, call a help line

even if it's a kids help line or a sexual assault centre. Get them to refer you to someone local you can talk to. The local police should have a victims services unit to handle this kind of thing.

You are having post traumatic stress. This is normal, but you need to talk to someone to help you get past it, otherwise it will take over your life.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

18. Victims Services Units are being phased out because of budget shortfalls

But the cops should still have numbers for Victims groups.
Duckie

[barbaraann]

10. The one time I was in Miami, I was told it wasn't even safe to go

downstairs from my hotel to the shopping center below!!!!!

[XanaDUer]

11. South Fl is a surreal experience...

I remember when the tourists were being killed all the time.

[MercutioATC]

12. I understand where you're coming from, but that kid won't come anyplace

near you now. There's absolutely nothing in it for him and he stands a better chance of getting caught. Be aware of your surroundings, but don't let an event like this paralyze you.

[hlthe2b]

13. 1. Get a dog (while they may not protect you, they will bark)

and give you notice when strangers approach.
2. get pepper spray (or a tazer stun gun) and a cell phone
3. take a self defense class to learn to use the above and to gain confidence.

I don't do guns or anything lethal, so I'll leave that to others.


Don't think of this as lacking in sympathy, Jiacinto-- quite the opposite. I hate hearing of your frightening experience. But, now you know how females feel all the time.

[Cleita]

14. Never. That's when the predators come out.

This holds true for cities as well as forests. An LA cop once told me his beat was like the future Earth in in H. G. Wells, "The Time Machine". During the day all was bright. The only people you saw in the streets were those who worked and shopped there. They were the Eloi. Then the Eloi went home and locked themselves behind the gates of where they lived. At night the Morlocks came out. These were the robbers, junkies, gang bangers and murderers. It's a good analogy.

So, never go out after dark if you live in a jungle. I don't even where I live because it's rural. There are no street lights. There are predators like coyotes, foxes, bobcats and a mountain lion prowling around here after dark. So, do all your business during the day and bolt yourself in at night.

[Kolesar]

16. That sounds like 19th century London--a scary place in the foggy darkness

Carry a cane, use it as a weapon.
I like TrogL's advice in post #9.
We are hoping you get through this.

[Kamika]

15. statisticly its safer to stay inside

So make what you want of it

[NewYorkerfromMass]

17. Damn Carlos, sorry to hear what happended

Having been the victim of crime more than once myself here in NYC, I can relate to the fear you're going through right now. I'll throw out a couple things for you to help out now:

1. You are right to be afraid to go out at night now. You just had a terribly frightening thing happen, and you need to chill out for a couple days.

2. Don't worry about this jerk breaking into your house. He has an MO and it's to mug people. It doesn't mean he's a burglar or home invader as well.

3. If you want to feel better about going out at night, you have to know how to "read" the street. You'll learn. You'll look for these potential troublemakers and spot them and learn to stay away from them. It sounds like, though, that you are in a less than desireable spot and you may eventually have to move if you aren't comfortable living there.

Best wishes, take care, and be safe.

[LTR]

19. Turn the light on (nm)