The U.S. State Department issues travel advisory for the Dominican Republic

The U.S. Department of State has issued yet another travel advisory, this time for the Dominican Republic.

The Level 2 advisory – which signals to travelers to “exercise increased caution” – was issued on Tuesday and stated that “violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide and sexual assault is a concern throughout the Dominican Republic.”

The State Department reports that U.S. citizens have been victims of recent robberies by people they met on dating apps. The agency also reports that some of the events took place at prominent resorts and hotels and involved date rape drugs.

“Sexual assault victims in the Dominican Republic should not expect the totality of assistance offered in the United States,” the travel advisory said. The process in the Dominican Republic moves “forward very slowly” and the victim may have to return to the island country.

USA Today notes that resort areas are safer than metropolitan areas like Santo Domingo due to the presence of a tourist police corps. Travelers should still take precaution, however, by avoiding dark, secluded spaces alone. Beaches should also be avoided at night.

It is also recommended to choose taxis carefully and only use ones that have been hailed by the hotel or vetted by a trusted company. Travelers can also opt for rideshare services like Uber.

Travelers are urged to tell hotel personnel to contact the police and the Embassy in the event of any kind of assault.

Roshae Hemmings is an arts and culture magazine journalist from St. Louis, MO. A graduate from the Missouri School of Journalism, Roshae has bylines in the Columbia Missourian, Vox Magazine and 5280 Magazine discussing topics ranging from pop culture, social justice and eat and drink. She is a foodie at heart and enjoys eating food as much as learning about the story behind it. You can reach Roshae via email at roshaehemmings@detourxp.com.

This story was originally published June 7, 2023 at 5:50 PM.