Susan - very good post. NYC used to be my 2nd home, and I always felt safer there than SXM, which I first visited in 1987.

Here is an interesting look at worldwide murder rates. The US is 4.7 per 100,000. Look at how dangerous (in general) the Caribbean is. Martinique is the lowest at 2.7 and Aruba is 2nd lowest at 3.9.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate