Crime
U.S. State Department issues Dominican Republic travel advisory amid crime spike
"The wide availability of weapons, the use and trade of illicit drugs, and a weak criminal justice system contribute to the high level of criminality on the broader scale," the advisory said
June 8, 2023 8:53am
Updated: June 8, 2023 8:53am
The U.S. State Department on Tuesday issued a travel advisory warning for Americans who are seeking to travel to the Dominican Republic after the country experienced a significant rise in violent crimes and sexual assaults.
"Violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide, and sexual assault, is a concern throughout the Dominican Republic," the department said in its yellow flag-level two advisory.
"The wide availability of weapons, the use and trade of illicit drugs, and a weak criminal justice system contribute to the high level of criminality on the broader scale," it continued.
The travel advisory added that many people have also been robbed by people they meet on dating apps or have been sexually assaulted after being given date rape drugs at hotels and restaurants.
“Sexual assault victims in the Dominican Republic should not expect the totality of assistance offered in the United States,” the travel advisory said, adding that the process to resolve these cases moves “very slowly.”
With the new designation, the Dominican Republic shares the same threat level as other popular tourist destinations such as the Bahamas, the U.K., Spain, France, and Italy.
Travelers headed to the Caribbean country are being urged to “exercise increased caution.” The State Department added that Americans traveling to resorts are likely to be safer and better policed “than urban areas like Santo Domingo.”
While the State Department is not telling travelers to avoid visiting the country, State officials are warning visitors to be aware of their surroundings, to not display signs of wealth, such as jewelry or watches, and to follow the guidance of tour operators and resorts.
The travel advisory comes after the State Department designated Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, as a level 4 red-flag “do not travel” country. Haiti has been plagued by kidnappings, gang-related crime, and civil unrest, making it unsafe for visitors.
