The Free Seminars

In my German town (Wiesbaden).....at least ten years ago.....most folks would have identified the entire area as 'safe'.  You could walk around at 10PM anywhere in town, and not have any fear.

Things have changed over the last year or two....violent attacks and robberies have increased.  The authorities....mostly the city political figures....are getting this impression that women are a bit stressed about this and how to deal with dangerous situations.

So, like you'd expect.....the city is organizing free seminars (named "Violence-See-Help")....to give out useful tips.

Naturally, you'd stand there and ask some stupid questions.  An American would ask if there's any gun tips or such.....getting a stern look from the German.

In this case, they are running a four-hour seminar from trained staff from the city administration, the cops and various civic institutions (they don't say which ones, I should note).  They intend to convey all the knowledge you'd need to handle appropriate behavior in dangerous situations.

The stress point of this, at least by what they've written in their advertisement.....you should feel willing and competent to help others.  But I think they mean mostly to call the cops when under duress or threat.

Basically, it's a PR campaign to avoid the next step which would be arming or using pepper-spray, or whacking some foolish kid with a baseball bat.

Four hours with some some limited dramatic talk by the cops.....don't do anything to aggravate the aggressor, bring harm to the aggressor, or counter-assault the hoodlum threatening you.

You kinda have a shaken view of town now.  It's just not 100-percent safe now.  There's a neighborhood or two that you ought to avoid after dark.  You wonder if its a trend or just a short-term thing.

As for me attending the seminar?  If there's free coffee.....I might show up.  My humble feeling is that I might be only one of four people sitting there, and the mayor could come over to let me know that he's all concerned about the safety of his city.  I might not take it in a nice way, and let the guy know this was all a waste of time.