Walking on Ice
Showing posts with label Safety. Show all posts
Dealing With Harassment
Traveling to Countries Where Harassment is Common and Still Enjoying the Experience
Safety in Finland
Is Finland as Safe as They Say It Is?
One of the main reasons why I moved to Finland is because it is known for being a relatively safe country. There are very few instances of violence, and as a woman, I can walk home at any time and not be harassed. And I love that about Finland. But it is interesting to compare my ideas of safety to the ideas of the Finns. So here is the truth about safety in Finland.
No Harassment
As a woman, there is no major harassment that you would experience in other countries. You can walk around and people won't follow you. Men don't catcall. And women are relatively free. This might just be Finnish nature to not draw attention to yourself or its because people actually respect each other here. No matter what it is, I have really enjoyed this as a woman. Sure there will always be some people that act up, but they are relatively few here compared to other countries where it is the norm.
The Bad Parts of Town
After living in Paris and growing up near San Francisco, I really don't consider to have any bad parts of town. I feel safe wherever I go here. Even in the creepiest places, I still feel 80% safer than I would in Paris or San Francisco. But what is funny is that many Finns avoid certain parts of town because it is known to be the bad part of town. Sure there are some people that drank too much and throw beer bottles at walls. Or there are people on drugs. But generally they stick to themselves and their friends group rather than interact with strangers. So you can easily stay safe without much effort in these parts of town. Even walking through the train station late at night is relatively safe compared to walking through a train station in Paris during the day. So maybe it's just my experiences, but I feel safe in Finland.
Just the Drunks
The only people that are concerning are the drunks or the drug addicts. But usually they keep to themselves. They are the ones most likely to harass you, but they are usually too drunk to keep it up for long. They are also what make the "bad parts of town" so sketchy. But generally they just hang out with themselves. Sure they might accidentally bump into you, sure some may ask you for money, and sure they are always loud. But in Helsinki, that is as bad as it gets. So I will gladly take the Finnish safety.
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