Q. I would love to go to Malmö in Sweden but have read some scary comments on the internet from people who say it's just not safe. What do you think? - San Brachner, Randburg
A. The comments you attached to your e-mail, supposedly by people who live in Malmö, do paint a frightening picture of crime and random violence in Sweden's southernmost city.
However, much of the fear from these and other letter writers - and more than a few internet trolls - seems to have been greatly influenced by a backlash against the country's policy towards refugees and immigrants.
In 2015, Sweden saw a massive spike in asylum applications, most likely as a result of the civil war in Syria.
Various websites and forums also claim that Malmö is "ruled" by gangs, whose loyalties and memberships are divided along ethnic lines, and that the city has the highest murder rate in Europe.
While it may be true that Malmö has the highest crime rate in Europe, this needs to be seen in context.
According to various sources, the murder rate doubled in Malmö from seven people in 2014 to 12 in 2016, this in a city of 320,000 people.
If you adopt the same caution that you would while visiting any city in the world, you will more than likely have no problems.As a respondent on Quora to the question "Is Malmö safe" noted, "If you're not selling drugs and illegally selling alcohol to minors, you should be fine.
The police force in Malmö is very good so there should be no reason to call Malmö a dangerous city."
The usual precautions apply: get local advice on no-go areas and don't go there. Don't walk alone at night (something I don't do in any city in the world) and don't be an easy target, which is to say don't carry your wallet in your back pocket or stroll around flashing jewellery and cameras. Above all, travel bravely and with an open mind (and heart) and you'll be fine.
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