Safety in Brazil

A lot of people have asked me if I am afraid of going to South America because the crime is so bad. I’ve reassured everyone that we are traveling with a group of level headed adults and will be in the company of Rotarians the entire time we will be abroad; therefore we will be in good hands! I’ve done a little research on the safety and crime in the Sao Paulo area and it doesn’t seem to differ much from a larger city here in the U.S.


Some of the information I found has been alarming, most of this coming from government agencies like the OSAC (Overseas Security Advisory Council). When reading forums posted by locals however, its seems to be that the locals are at a greater risk of being exposed to crime then a visitor would be. Below is some information I pulled off of the OSAC website.

The criminal threat for São Paulo is rated critical by the U.S. Department of State. Despite reported decreases in crime levels in the State of São Paulo, crime is still oppressive and widespread. Much of São Paulo’s crimes and violence can be attributed to mobile street gangs and organized crime groups. São Paulo continues to be notorious for the brazenness of certain high profile crimes and violent crimes such as murder, rape, and kidnappings. Armed assaults and burglaries continue to be a part of normal everyday life. Every São Paulo neighborhood is susceptible to high crime rates. Reports of armed robberies continue to occur regularly in the generally affluent residential sections of Jardins Morumbi and Santo Amaro, where a number of government and business leaders and a majority of the U.S. Consulate employees reside.