How much do you care about the security in daily life?

This Friday, I went to a nightclub for the first time in Chile (the place called “La Feria”) , just because I missed dancing in a club with good music. Although music was a bit repetitive, I enjoyed it and got home safe.

La Feria

Everyone around me says that Chile is not a safe place and going to a nightculb is not recommendable. Of course TV news always report  robbery and homicide, and you should never let your guard down. But I usually don’t feel a bad public order in this country (Santiago), the feeling you would have in a poor security place. Actually, according to the study of 2010, Chile is one of the top 3 safest countries in Latin America (as well as Costa Rica and Uruguay). 

Even though UNDP says that the Latin America is the most dangerous area considering more than 1 million homicides between 2000-2010, there exist many other countries with insecurities.

For example, many people including me were so shocked with the 2 cases happened in 2012 December:
(1) the Sandy Hook shooting at the elementary school in Connecticut, USA and
(2) the tragic rape incident in New Delhi, India.

The two countries whose total number of guns are the top 2 highest in the word (the US followed by India) took a similar approach: changing the law on arms.

First, Connecticut passed one of the strictest laws requiring gun owners to re-register otherwise they would get charged. Even though it is a strict one, but you CAN still own guns. There is a theory addressing that the strong ties between the republican party and  the Rifle association will not let the U.S. society get rid of guns.

On the other hand, India took a bit different position after the incident; letting women own arms by launching the “first gun for women”-Nirbheek, which was named after the victim of the case. (Please see the summary of the incident on my old post “Unused treasur“)

According to an article  “Can a gun protect India’s women from rape and violence?“, the launch of this gun in India will do more harm than good, questioning whether carrying a gun actually makes anyone safer – research in eight indian states by the Women Gun Survivors Network suggests people are 12 times more likely to be shot dead if they are armed when attacked. Also, this gun will cost around 2,000 US$ which is out of reach for most women in India.

Personally, I would argue that owning guns will not reduce or solve crimes. Although the former case of Connecticut might reduce the number of gun owner, the fundamental solution should lie in the shift of violent culture, which usually has a correlation with poverty- which has something a lot to do with education. Therefore the holistic approach might be needed. I know it’s easier said than done, but it’s us human who improve or worsen the order of our society.

Thanks for your visit, and see you at the safe nightclub.