Job Discussion Forums

[Nate]

Do you feel safe working in Turkey?

[yaramaz]

Safe from what? Or from whom? My Anadolu Lisesi 1 Boys used to scare the ^%$& out of me. During a speaking test one time, when I was asking one boy something (" What is your name?" "Efendim?") another boy took off hs hard-soled pointy shoe and hurled it at my head. Another spat on me for not saying Aziz Allah when the call to prayer came on during classtime. Otherwise things are quite nifty.

[Nate]

Safe walking in the streets at night without much fear of getting robbed or worse... I haven't read much on Turkey, but I assume it is safer than say... Saudi Arabia.

By the way, what would have happened to you if you threw the shoe back at the kid or you whiped the spit back onto the spitter?

[yaramaz]

I think it depends on where you are. I'm in the middle of Anatolia, on the edge of Cappadocia, and in my city of almost a million I can still walk around late at night without worry, same with the towns like Goreme or Urgup. Never been robbed or assaulted or anything worse than followed by a few harmless but hormonal boys who dont actually do more than shout out the few words in English that they know. I'd be more worried about corporate rip-offs---- in this city they are really only interested in taking your money through business not by force. I cant say the same, however, for Istanbul etc-- I feel less safe there, but it depends on the area and time.

And as for the boys... if I had flung the shoe back, I'd probably have been fired as fast as Ghost. And I dont like anyone sneeringly foring their religion onto me. When they crowded around me and stuck their dorky teenaged faces into mine and demanded that I say Aziz Allah I said I would only do so if they said a few Hail Marys (I'm not Catholic but its as close as I have come, through family, to formal religion). Then spit. Charming little fellers. I pity their future arranged wives.

[lucy k]

I think the biggest problem in Istanbul is pick pocketing. I walk around at night, alone sometimes if necessary. But there are definitely places I won't walk alone at night (and some I won't even go near during the day, even with friends). But in general, I don't worry too much about bodily harm here. I'm mostly worried about someone grabbing my bag. I just make sure my hand is on it at all times, or just not carry one if possible. I also only take with me what I can afford to lose. Most people I know here have had something (at least a phone) stolen, but no one has been hurt. I'm knocking on wood right now! But all my phone numbers are written down in a separate place, just in case....

[justme]

One of the safest places I've ever been. Istanbul is a big city but it's nothing like being in a big city in America. Of course there are areas that are less than savoury, but if something does happen to you, people are more likely to step in and help out. Simple awareness is all that's really needed.

Some places may be getting a little worse, as far as random violent crimes at least, due to increasing numbers of youthful glue-sniffers. But since I've been here, I've been out in different areas alone at all hours of the night, and had only one physical assault.

But of course stuff gets stolen. Like most people, I've had a phone and wallet stolen from school, and I've chucked away little hands trying to get into my bag on the street. Then there was a cleaner who came with very good references who just kind of helped herself to whatever she wanted...

That's for street crimes. As far as being safe working? The major worry is notting getting paid as promised, or not getting paid at all, which I've gotten from 2 schools now. I know, it's not exactly theft to not get money for hours worked, but it certainly pisses me off. And horny students getting teachers' phone numbers from reception and annoying us with repeated hang-up calls and/or SMS declarations of love.

Being spat on by students?! That's horrible, the spoilt little wretches!

[dmb]

I do feel safe but crime is rising in the centre of Istanbul. In the past couple of years a few friends have had their telephones stolen-when they were using them. One friend was also stabbed when he ran after the thief to try and get his phone back

[lucy k]

[dmb]

Will Istanbul be safe when Yaramaz moves here?

[yaramaz]

Mwahahahahahhhhhh

I will bring the evils and debauchery of central Anatolia with me to Constantinople, show them hoity toity big city wussy types a thing or two about life! Like, um, pastirma breath! Combined with sucuk-induced fearlessness, it's a killer. And that bizarre combination of Ataturkian Islamic fundamentalism as practised here will be made law--- headscarves and worry beads and enormous gold wizard of oz busts of the Man in every room, in every building, outlined with lights on hillsides, astride horses in every roundabout.

[Mike_2003]

Don't let the statistics fool you. Very few crimes are reported here in Istanbul because of the lack of faith people have in the police. In five years here I've heard about much more theft than when I was in the UK, mainly phone/wallet/bag theft. I've known plenty of cases of assault too, mostly armed. However, the UK's speciality, car theft, seems far less common.

The police are quite heavy-handed in their dealing with criminals of a violent nature. An acquaintance of mine was threatened by a glue-sniffer with a knife. A policeman who was passing by the top of the road saw what was happening, whipped out his automatic and shot him through the head (the glue-sniffer of course) without a moments hesitation! That sort of reaction would certainly make me think twice (unless I had an ounce of Uho up my nostrils perhaps).

There is another issue. Although there may be less crime in Istanbul than in other major cities of the world, we are, as foreigners, probably more likely to be targeted for theft or assault than we would be in those other cities simply because we are generally perceived to be richer.

On the whole, I do feel safe here. I've been ripped off and suffered the obligatory phone theft, but it's not often that I've felt ill at ease walking around at night. However, I am a hefty-looking 185cm male. Most of the street louts lose their bottle if they don't outnumber you and have knives, so it's fairly safe if you are in a group.

Apart from that, it's mostly being fleeced in the shops that you have to be careful of, but physically I've suffered nothing worse than the occasional racist comment or dirty look. I can't speak for the cities outside Istanbul, but I can't imagine them being too dangerous.

Mike

[vre]

Mike, can you be our hefty protector when we come to live in Istanbul?

[ghost]

Turkey is remarkably safe when you take the dire economy into account.

Countries with similar Per Capitas in Latin America are much, much, more dangerous....

The question is - is it safe because the people are essentially law abiding, or because of the heavy police presence....

Istanbul tops the crime lists, but you can still walk around safely at all hours....a rare thing in a city with a vast population, and many poor people.

[richard ame]

Hi
Generally I feel safe in this city or at least did . A few recent incidents have made me more wary,there are certain places you do not go alone at night, day time is ok but you have to be alert .
Both my wife and I have victims of theft,I even had my car stolen once .The police presence does help ,but there never is one when you really need them . We are percieved as likely targets especially when we go to bars and stay too late.I have heard of a few muggings and the kids are high on glue and are very quick to seize a chance to snatch what they can . Its still a lot worse in any major British city .