[Security and travel].
Hijacking, crime, aggression and theaft when people travel abroad are regularly reported by the media. This increases travellers' fears. As there is little research that quantifies risks, subjectivity and preconceived ideas prevail. A survey done among travellers in Geneva, Lausanne and Lyon showed that the risk of incidents was lower in countries located outside of Europe, usually in cities. Most frequently it was baggage stealing, or stealing in the street, during the day. In Europe, stealing by breaking into cars was most frequent. Without becoming paranoid about aggression and burglary, some simple rules can be followed. Keep constant situational awareness, be respectful of the people in countries visited, avoid provocative attitudes and avoid insecure areas.
Service de médecine internationale et humanitaire, Département de médecine communautaire et de premier recours, HUG, Genève. louis.loutan@hcuge.ch
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Loutan
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Paredes
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Jackson
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Landry
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Chappuis
D003415:Crime / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D012449:Safety; D014195:Travel