--“When driving in the desert” & “I’m afraid for my brother running into a bomb”
--“My spouse as he is an instructor for the Kuwaiti Air Force and this could be a possible target for attack.”--“After midnight”
--“At night”--“On the roads when driving”
--“When my father and grandpa go fishing at 3am.”--“I’m concerned for the safety of western women at night, on public transport & when they are on their own.”
--“There is no specific time, however, driving is not safe in Kuwait at all times.”--“At nights and noon.” & “Early evening and night.”, i.e. seemingly concerned with transportation
Asians and western women showed particular concern for family and others being out at night or in public spaces, like malls alone. Asians were more likely to be concerned about loved ones wandering about without visas and paperwork. (The Kuwaiti employers and government delay approval of visa and other documents for months on end.) It should be noted that youth are also very concerned about all of these same issues—worried about brothers, fathers, grandfathers, mothers, etc. on the roads or out and about in Kuwait.In response to the fourth question, these are some of the variety responses:
(4) Do you have recommendations to make about safety to people who are new to Kuwait?--“Explain to them about problems on highways and proximics including closeness and touching as well as warn them about the lack of good law enforcement.”
--“To respect the country’s traditions.”--“Stay in a group. Be polite.”
--“For the women, I’d say don’t drive alone late at nights in isolated places. Don’t ever walk., otherwise only be extra careful when driving.”--“Always use common sense while using taxis. Try not to travel alone in unfamiliar places.”--“Keep a safe distance you talk to or question. Be alert at all times.”--“When there is a fire. Save the others by calling the police. The number for police (and emergencies) is 777.”
--“New people need information regarding residency, money, and visa matters.”--“Be careful on the roads. Only get into a car when you have to … maybe safer to use a bus.”
--“Warn them about the dangers to pedestrians.” Most of these are directed towards women in Kuwait. Both male and female Asians as well as western women need to be aware of kidnappings and rapes as real possibilities in Kuwait—though possibly more of a fear level of awareness than in actual number of cases in a country of 3 million. However, kidnappings and forced prostitution are certainly also too prevalent in the secluded corners of some neighborhoods and ghettos.In response to the fifth question, these are some of the variety responses:
(5) Do you have any recommendation to the cities of Kuwait, to the national government, or to police about how to make Kuwait more safe?--“Police need to follow the laws, like when they knowingly arrest people who actually have their visas along with those who don’t. POLICE ARE FOR PROTECTION, NOT ABUSE. (Same goes in my country, the Philippines where some lesser problem prevails.) I’m scared when I see police here in Kuwait.”
--“No.”--“The police should be available everywhere.”
--“Better and more police.”--“They (the police) need to test (oversee) the desert and they need to come faster when they call them. They (the police) need to command the government to prohibit ATVs (three wheel buggies) in the street.”
--“Apply rules of traffic consistently and penalize accordingly.”--“Teach and tell children not to play in the streets.”
--“To be more serious when dealing with people’s complaints at the police stations.”--“Police are the worst offenders.”
