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I am a solo female traveller in Rome.

I want to know how safe Rome is for females. The safety aspects I'm concerned about are those such as violence, robbery, sexual assault, verbal harassment, etc.

What about transportation? Are buses generally safe? What about at night? How about trams, trains, metro, etc?

Are there any special precautions I need to take? What are the biggest dangers? What are the best tips for a solo female traveler to have safe rides in Rome?

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    I vote to reopen as well, as a question is not opinion based if you go into details (i.e. "there were rapes around Roma Termini area after dark" or "in Metro your main concern should be pickpocketing") - i.e. we provide information, and not making a judgment call whether the OP considers this "safe" or not.
    – George Y.
    Sep 27, 2016 at 1:06
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    I believe this is totally appropriate question. Being a female traveler, and Travel Stack Exchange being most comprehensive site regarding travel questions, I do not see any reason why it was put on hold. I myself put a question when I was travelling to San Francisco alone and answers I got were very very helpful. travel.stackexchange.com/questions/43210/….
    – 404
    Sep 27, 2016 at 5:39
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    I'm voting to close this question again, as it could greatly profit from specifying better "safety" from what? Is the OP afraid of pickpocketing, rape, murder, being taken a hostage, traffic accidents, manholes, rabid dogs, lung cancer, ... it could be any of that but as is it get's too broad. I find this question can be perfectly answered as soon as OP is able to specify their concerns slightly better.
    – mts
    Sep 27, 2016 at 8:10
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    I suspect the OP means safety from criminality. For anything else "for females" would not make a lot of sense.
    – gerrit
    Sep 27, 2016 at 10:20
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    This wikitravel entry has a lot of practical tips about safety especially from pick-pockets and scammers.
    – RedBaron
    Sep 27, 2016 at 12:16

2 Answers 2

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If you look at crime rates by city, you'll see that Rome is similar to Lahore.

Rank City               Crime   Safety
                        index   index
1    Caracas, Venezuela 85.90   14.10
...
80   Rome, Italy        53.83   46.17
81   Lahore, Pakistan   53.35   46.65
...
275  Munich, Germany    15.05   84.95
276  Eskisehir, Turkey  14.10   85.90
277  Mangalore, India   13.67   86.33

I don't know how reliable these figures are, and they are for all crimes, not just the types that may concern you.


Anecdotal advice

Here, Telegraph Travel writer Rhiannon Edwards offers her advice for solo women exploring cities, following a recent encounter with a stranger in Rome:

I visited Rome recently, by myself. ...

My experience in Rome, although at times odd and unexpected, was pleasant rather than threatening. But how, as a young woman in a city alone, can you ensure it is always this way? And how do you deal with situations that turn sour, or worse?

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  • remember that crime rates includes gangs and criminal activities (deaths between gang members...);
    – Max
    Sep 27, 2016 at 11:29
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    @Max Do you live in Rome? Because I highly doubt gang activity is big in Rome.
    – Summer
    Sep 27, 2016 at 11:49
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    See this (bureau of US diplomatic security) :osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=19149
    – Max
    Sep 27, 2016 at 14:03
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    «Rome is similar to Lahore»: Is this good? Bad? Sorry for my ignorance, but how's Lahore regarding crime (apart to being similar to Rome)?
    – DaG
    Oct 3, 2016 at 7:55
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(disclaimer, I'm a man)

Like in most city, use common sense; know your way around, be conscious of your surroundings.

I found Rome to be safe day and night (evening) in most tourist areas.

When alone, especially at night, do not "look like" a tourist; keep all valuables in you handbag, and your handbag in front of you.

Better yet, keep all your valuables at home or at your hotel; bring only what is necessary with you ( for example, some cash, 1 credit/debit card, insurances card, photocopies of your passport); use a body pouch, and access it when alone (in a bathroom).

You risk being pickpocked a lot more than being harrassed, or be violented (in all fashion).

Keep clear of pan-handlers (all ages ans sexes), trick-card people, people selling you tickets off the streets; say "NO" and say it loud and move away; if someone ask for your help, again, be careful, and say "NO"; and move away (first person ask for help, and second person steal your stuff.

If wanting to buy tickets or tours, do it from licenses tour operators, either locally or from the Internet.

Traffic can be dangerous, cross with other people, and do not be timid, if you cross the street, go for it, cars will stop; if you try bactracking, then cars do not know what is your intention and the risk will be increased.

Public transport: I rarely used buses or metro in Rome, I can't be specific, but in all public transport, there is an unfortunate risk of groping and pickpocketing. The level of "threat" can also depend on your experienced with public transport (and what is acceptable to you).

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