The southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, its capital known for the best cuisine in the country, and its central valleys for mezcal production, artisan towns and ruins, still gets a bad rap for alleged violence and safety concerns. . In recent years, its pristine beach resorts like Huatulco and Puerto Escondido have received the brunt of adverse media reporting. All this despite the fact that as long as reasonable precautions are taken, tourists should feel even safer than in their home cities and towns outside of Mexico.

Oaxaca is, in general, a safe state for tourists. Mexican citizens are vigilant and visitors should be too. The former have been taught from a very young age, while the latter need some instruction.

Kidnapping. The bad guys turn to the rich for ransom. While they may not be that smart, they know that kidnapping a tourist is no guarantee of a big payday. So they kidnap those (mainly women and children) whose families reasonably assume they have significant financial resources. Some people flaunt their wealth by driving Mercedes and wearing flashy gold jewelry. They and their family members are the targets, not you, the visitor. These residents live in large houses in wealthy areas of the city. They own very successful retail and wholesale businesses. The owner of a well-known building materials supply chain was kidnapped twice over the course of about 15 years. Presumably, that target now has a 24/7 bodyguard.

My wife wanted to buy a Mini Cooper, the only small one because she liked it a lot. She wanted a red one. We live in a semi-rural suburb of Oaxaca. Most of our neighbors are of fairly modest means. Why call our attention? I suggested a gray Mini, and have the dealer remove the two stripes it comes with. While the Mini logo remains, the car is now much more understated and more or less blends in. And although our house is large, it is traditionally built and is practically hidden by large plants that bloom all year round. It seems modest in comparison with the modern houses that some of the neighbors have built more recently; those who park their black SUVs and luxury Audis in their three-car garages.

Stole. The 80-year-old upper-class mother of a Canadian friend visited Oaxaca. I met with her to advise her on what to do, where and when, and on safety. I suggested that she get dressed. She replied that she always does when she travels, even though at the time she was wearing designer clothes and expensive earrings and necklace. Her male partner and I looked at each other in disbelief.

If point-and-shoot is enough, leave the camera with the $3,000 lens at home. Alternatively, when walking through the markets, keep your camera and bag in a nondescript polyurethane bag that you can buy fairly well statewide for 5-10 pesos. That’s what the locals wear when they go shopping in the markets. Sure, you’ll still look like a tourist, probably, but you’ll be less likely to be a target of thieves than the next tourist walking the crook.

Listen to what the locals tell you. I advised a white American client not to walk through the Central de Abastos Oaxaca market on Saturdays, the busiest day of the market, because thieves attack passers-by, both Mexican and foreign, on that day much more than on other days. A few days later I was talking to her and she told me: “I just went to Abastos on Saturday to get my bearings for when I need to take a bus another day.” They ripped the gold earrings from her ears.

When in the markets, be especially careful in crowded areas or if groups of people, even women, seem to be too close to you. In a couple of weekly market towns near Oaxaca, swarms of women have been observed. They brush up against you and the next thing you know your wallet, purse or passport is missing. Hold your camera and bag comfortably in front of you, and leave your passport in your hotel room (but keep photos of your tourist card and passport photo page with you). Backpacks are also easy targets, so if you must, keep them in front of you. For a day trip, only take as much cash as you can reasonably need and a credit card. You probably don’t need your New York driver’s license with you.

Assaults and worse. Bad things happen to good people all over the world, all the time, in their home cities and towns. Oaxaca, Huatulco and Puerto Escondido are no different. There are pockets of urban areas notorious for muggings and robberies all over the world, and it’s no different here. Burglary is usually the main motivation, so again, dress up and listen to what the residents have to say. Ask about going out after dark and if there are any particular areas you should avoid day or night. Some areas in and around Oaxaca City even have neighborhood watch groups to address recent waves of robberies and thefts. Women and young men seem to be the targets, probably due to an apparent lack of physical strength, and the first to be targeted by sexual predators. For this, I suppose the type of clothing should be a consideration; the less someone finds you provocative, the less likely you are to run into trouble. Call me out of touch or sexist if you want, but some parts of the world are still pretty misogynistic, so heeding a little advice can go a long way toward avoiding trouble.

Epilogue. The state of Oaxaca is essentially safe and secure for both residents and visitors; men, women and children. If it were not so, I and many others who live here but were born and raised outside of Mexico would not have chosen to uproot and move. For most of us it was not the climate or the cost of living, but the lifestyle, the multiplicity of rich cultural traditions and security. But we all take reasonable precautions, no more and no less than in our home countries.

For visitors, just remember that those who have been warned that Mexico is not safe are likely people who have never visited the country and rely on sensationalist media reports or paternalistic warnings from the State Department to form their opinions and provide fodder for their opinions. tips.