Job Discussion Forums

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

cangringo says:

hlamb · Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 431 Location: Canada

Wow, Samantha, that's scary. I'm glad it hasn't affected your feeling of safety here. Many people would have run home after that.

I had my ass grabbed one evening, near my house in a good area. Then the guy started to follow me. I screamed as loud as I could and he disappeared, but no one else came to help. I still feel safe here but I am cautious, as I would be anywhere.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

Exactly, it can happen anywhere and that's why I hadn't brought it up until now. It was just to point out that people should not have the false sense of security that a neighbor will dash out and interrupt a purse snatching or a butt grabbing in progress. Shocked

It's a different culture and we tend to make too many incorrect assumptions about it. A friend of mine had her butt grabbed while jogging on the malecon (the sea wall). She said the guy just kept on jogging as if nothing had happened. She calls it her "jog-by butt grabbing incident". My snatcher had a fight on his hands. Then I chased him, still screaming, and the last I saw of him was the police with AK-47's drawn, chasing him up and over the hill. Neighbors standing outside staring. Cute policemen promising to catch him for me (and they did search to the point of nearly arresting the wrong guy) made me feel much better. They found my purse minus all the good stuff, but miraculously my house keys were still there and they brought them to me. And they always stopped and checked in with me when they saw me walking about.

gordogringo · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 159 Location: Tijuana

Why can't I get anyone to grab my butt? Maybe it is because I don't jog. Idea

Guess I need to start exercising.

Sexual harassment does not seem to be viewed as seriously in Mexico. This is a machismo culture, after all. The worst gropers and fondlers here are the local cops. More than a few times I have watched them "pat down"
a woman with alot of special attention to her chest area. Nothing can or will be done about it though. Maybe try jogging with some type of short pole or device to whack your butt grabber good and he will learn. I have never seen anybody jogging in TJ, though. Ever. For running people seem to go to the sports club.

carolync · Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 38 Location: Phoenix, Az

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

cangringo · Joined: 18 Jan 2007 Posts: 327 Location: Vancouver, Canada

Ok good point, I only assumed that because of stories from other people. I guess I feel safe because there are always kids playing in the street and the police drive around constantly with flashing lights all night. Makes one feel safe in their neighborhood. They coudn't beleive that we can't just let our kids run around in the streets and the parks at night.

Haven't had any butt grabbings here either - but I don't job either. Come to think of it, I haven't seen anyone jogging...running for the bus but not jogging.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

samizinha · Joined: 12 May 2005 Posts: 174 Location: Vacalandia

Ha, I've been a victim of the butt grab as well. I knew enough Spanish at the time to tell him where to go and threw in something about his mother as well. I was getting off an empty micro bus, and the people outside just stared blankly.
That's been it. However, my house has been robbed twice in Canada, and a man there grabbed my chest during the day, infront of a police station. And the police there did nothing about it.

hlamb · Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 431 Location: Canada

Funny, I wasn't jogging at the time.

I did a workshop about sexual harassment. It's the sort of concept that can be defined many ways. My co-teacher for that one was a middle aged male from Canada and he and differed sharply about the definition. Several students said that my definition sounds like normal life here. It was definitely an eye opener for me.

mapache · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 202 Location: Villahermosa

At my birthday party here in Chiapas last week, I had my butt grabbed by three women but I took it as a compliment. Twisted Evil

I have been living in Southern Mexico for almost three years with less fear than when I lived in New York City. On day a drunk grabbed my shirt sleeve in the marcado to ask for money but a quick "!no me tocas!" and a kung fu stance took care of that. One thing I think foreigners need to beware of is house robbery. I let some strangers into my house, they got to know my dog and one Saturday, in broad daylight while I was at the school teaching, rateros cleaned all my electronic equipment and CDs. Turns out the strangers were "primos" of my rat *beep* neighbours.

Regular door locks are easy to pop out. One needs multiple deadbolts. The neighbours saw the robbers and the car. The police caught a suspect and my neighbours assured me they would be witnesses until the family of the SOB threatened them all with violence against their families. I think my place was cased and I think my neighbours were accomplices.

One other observation: It is true that people here don't like to get involved. One day I arrived home to find a bleeding, unconscious man lying on my neighbour's doorstep. All the neighbours were out, pointing and gossiping. I solicited the help of a teenager to call a Cruz Roja ambulance and asked the neighbours what happened. All they could do is shrug and say "no se". I can't wait to move away from this "barrio naco".

gordogringo · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 159 Location: Tijuana

I have several layers of security on my apartment here. You have to get through two private entry gates, a locked screen door, then locked door all keyed different with deadbolts on last two doors. All in a second floor unit. The last resident was an oral surgeon and a anti-kidnapping specialist recommended the set up he installed. But since my girlfriends nieces and cousins are coming and going all the time I am glad we have them.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I've got a deadbolt!

Oh, and a security guard at the front gate to the complex, but I shouldn't really count him - he's usually snoozing in his chair.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I live in a lowrise on an average street in fairly central Mexico City. No doorman. All my neighbours in the building know each other, as do most of the neighbours up and down the street, as well as several other nearby streets. All the dogowners know each other. There's a bit better sense of community here than I've seen in other parts of Mexico City and Mexico that I've lived.

Somebody stole a car from the street last year, and when neighbours called it in, the police sent a beat cop to walk around every night for the next few months. Pretty boring in the criminal sense around here.

My anti-kidnapping and general security strategy here has been to say hello to all my neighbours and keep up on the local gossip at the corner store.