# Opinions/Experiences on culture of violence



## NiesaK (May 26, 2014)

I guess this is more for discussion than specific advice or information. Having lived in two countries (Scotland and Canada) for most of my life, I have always known about random acts of violence. When I read the newspapers, it's difficult not to become overwhelmed by it all and keep a sense of proportion. But it seems to me that in the UK there's never a day passes without someone being subjected to 'home raids,' beatings, and senseless violence. It's the same in Toronto. Possibly more shootings, given the availability of guns, but every day there's something in the news on this subject. I pick up Spanish newspapers almost daily, including local newspapers written in English and I don't get the same feeling about life in Spain. I did read an earlier post about someone who stabbed their brother and tied up their mother. I don't live in a vacuum and I know only too well that Eutopia doesn't exist but I'm just curious as to what others think...

I would say that there are marginally less people found drunk on the streets of Toronto (not by much though) and the hospitals are overwhelmed. As a previous poster mentioned, the health service in Ontario is abysmal. But I digress...

Any thoughts??


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

NiesaK said:


> I guess this is more for discussion than specific advice or information. Having lived in two countries (Scotland and Canada) for most of my life, I have always known about random acts of violence. When I read the newspapers, it's difficult not to become overwhelmed by it all and keep a sense of proportion. But it seems to me that in the UK there's never a day passes without someone being subjected to 'home raids,' beatings, and senseless violence. It's the same in Toronto. Possibly more shootings, given the availability of guns, but every day there's something in the news on this subject. I pick up Spanish newspapers almost daily, including local newspapers written in English and I don't get the same feeling about life in Spain. I did read an earlier post about someone who stabbed their brother and tied up their mother. I don't live in a vacuum and I know only too well that Eutopia doesn't exist but I'm just curious as to what others think...
> 
> I would say that there are marginally less people found drunk on the streets of Toronto (not by much though) and the hospitals are overwhelmed. As a previous poster mentioned, the health service in Ontario is abysmal. But I digress...
> 
> Any thoughts??


From time to time, we do see reports in the Spanish papers of crimes of violence - the most recent that comes to mind was the fatal stabbing of a young man somewhere on the Costa del Sol (sorry, can't remember exactly where) outside a nightclub after an an argument reportedly started over a girl. So they do happen, as do crimes of violence committed within families.

There was a tragic case a few years ago in Nerja where a young woman (I think she was from Colombia) was stabbed to death by her ex-partner. There was a restraining order in force against him due to previous violence and threats, and the police were actually escorting her to and from her job as a waitress each day. One morning, 10 minutes after the police left, he turned up and stabbed her and although he was tackled by bystanders, very sadly she died.

Very recently, a police officer tragically died in Malaga capital after being stabbed by a homeless man he was trying to arrest:-

http://www.elmundo.es/andalucia/2014/05/21/537ce5cd268e3ef00c8b4586.html

The only violent incidents I've witnessed personally have been between members of various gitano families who seem to tend to settle their differences that way. They've not spilled over to affect anybody else in the neighbourhood.

As a woman, I've never felt unsafe walking alone at night here.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

Neisa: I have lived in Spain on the Costa del Sol for 27, having retired from the police service in UK after 30 years as a detective in London, and have been a volunteer translator and consultant with the National Police in Spain for 15 years (and have run teams of translators at 4 other police stations for 8 years) I can say from first hand experience, without any doubt whatsoever, that the level of crime in my part of Spain, and in particular violent crime, is very substantially below that of the UK. 

Today in 4 hours at the police station, there was not one foreigner who came in to report a crime, and today was not that different from other days. In fact over the 15 years I have seen a steady decline in reported crime. 

I know that some visitors do not report crime, but that applies to everywhere, probably everywhere in the world. However, as most visitors to Spain have holiday insurance, I believe that a higher percentage are inclined to make reports than they would if the crime happened in their home country.


Of course people who are careless are more likely to be victims.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Many years ago when we were in UK we used to translate documents written by (often semi-literate) police officers who were attending to petty crimes and losses involving British tourists. The overall impressions we got were that most were the consequences of stupidity and the claims for insurance were not worth a light. At no point did we get the impression that anywhere was crime ridden, especially having recently come from Colombia which at that time was really dangerous in places.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

NiesaK said:


> I guess this is more for discussion than specific advice or information. Having lived in two countries (Scotland and Canada) for most of my life, I have always known about random acts of violence. When I read the newspapers, it's difficult not to become overwhelmed by it all and keep a sense of proportion. But it seems to me that in the UK there's never a day passes without someone being subjected to 'home raids,' beatings, and senseless violence. It's the same in Toronto. Possibly more shootings, given the availability of guns, but every day there's something in the news on this subject. I pick up Spanish newspapers almost daily, including local newspapers written in English and I don't get the same feeling about life in Spain. I did read an earlier post about someone who stabbed their brother and tied up their mother. I don't live in a vacuum and I know only too well that Eutopia doesn't exist but I'm just curious as to what others think...
> 
> I would say that there are marginally less people found drunk on the streets of Toronto (not by much though) and the hospitals are overwhelmed. As a previous poster mentioned, the health service in Ontario is abysmal. But I digress...
> 
> Any thoughts??


Yes, I too read the Briti papers and the number of senseless crimes and nastiness around is incredible.
Here in Spain most murders seem to be within the family and even the political murder in Leon seems to have been that the supposed murderers were at political odds with the PP woman.
Around the Cadiz area the biggest crime seems to be the introduction of hachis which doesn't affect any of us.
I have friends here who wander home in the early hours of the morning with no fear. Of course, there are plenty of people doing the same thing and usually the city council have the bin men rushing around every night taking away the rubbish (not much chance of a nightly service in the UK) and then it is the next lot of council workers all but scrubbing the streets, which can go on for hours. They are all equipped with mobiles etc., so I reckon that at the first hint of trouble that they would contact whoever.
And yes the Spaniards drink a lot, but no, it doesn't seem to affect them in the way that the Brits perform.it could be that they do enjoy eating which helps a lot or perhaps they are missing a horrid gene.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

I'm so pleased to hear your reports here of low crimes - especially low crimes of violence. A couple of days ago I was researching this subject online myself and came across this article that still has me splitting a gut. I hope not to diminish the importance of this conversation by bringing humour into this conversation. Here it is:

8 “Loco” Ways to Make the Spanish Angry - My Spanish Adventure


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

I don't think the level of violent crime is higher now than decades ago. It's just that local crimes, if particularly lurid, get taken up by the media and are sensationalised, often in away that causes needless alarm. An abducted childin Bolton will cause parents in Bournemouth to panic, as if an epidemic were spreading across the land.
There are waves of this:for a few months the focus could be on knifecrime, then on teenage gang violence, then domestic violence. It makes crime into a species of entertainment, of voyeurism almost. The UK Daily Mail excels at frightening its readers over their toast and crumpets.

If you read or listened to the UK media now you'd think we were a national of paedophiles, every last one of us.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

there is no 'culture of violence'

yes there is crime - yes there is violence, as the others have said

but a 'culture of violence' - absolutely not


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Madrid definitely has a less aggressive feel than English cities - possibly the fact the Spanish drink less has a lot to do with it - but also the number of people (of all ages) on the streets in general helps. There aren't any real no-go areas in Madrid either, however pick-pocketing is rife in the tourist areas.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

One of the reasons we moved to Spain was because where we lived in leafy Surrey the levels of crime and anti social behaviour had reached levels which were totally unacceptable for us. I remember as a child feeling very safe wandering the streets alone or with friends but that simply wouldn't happen today - partly the increase in traffic and the danger that represents. But here in Spain you regularly see kids as young as 5 playing on their own in the villages and after 4 years here we now know it is because it really is very safe here. When we first arrived we quite often used to watch these kids in total disbelief wondering how their parents could be so irresponsible but then we'd been conditioned by living in UK.


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## caromac (Nov 16, 2008)

We too feel very safe here! A few evenings ago our summer of 'cultural' events included a late night party for the young at the municipal pool. Yes there was a lot of noise until the early hours but no trouble. Late at night walking the dog you will inevitably see people about taking some late cool air. They always speak and there is no feeling of threat. We spend regular time in both Spain and UK and know where we feel more secure.....


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

More or less crime free here, it just doesn't happen, despite unemployment of 37%


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## NiesaK (May 26, 2014)

Hi there: thanks for taking the time to reply. It would seem that most people who have responded have affirmed my 'gut feeling' - i.e., violence (either random or domestic) does exist everywhere, but on balance it's not so problematic as in the UK and/or Canada.

Let's hope it stays that way.

Regards,
Niesa


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