Is Cape Town Safe for Women? Crime Rate in Cape Town

Safety rating

Unsafe
2.1 /5

Women living in Cape Town consider the safety level to be relatively low, with an overall safety rating of 2.1 out of 5.

Crime rating

Moderate
3.5 /5

Women living in Cape Town consider the crime rate to be relatively high, with an overall crime rating of 3.5 out of 5.

Violence rating

7%

On average 7% percentage of women in South Africa have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner at some time in their life, according to OECD Data.

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Crime & Safety Statistics

Based on 15 experiences

Safety rating:

2.1/5Unsafe

Safety walking alone after dark:

1/5Very Unsafe

Safety using public transport:

2.1/5Unsafe

Crime rate:

3.5/5Moderate

Worries of being sexually harassed:

2.9/5Moderate

Worries of being sexually assaulted or raped:

3.1/5Moderate

Worries of being physically attacked:

2.8/5Moderate

Worries of home broken and things stolen:

2.8/5Moderate

Worries of being mugged or robbed:

3.6/5Fairly worried

Worries of being kidnapped or murdered:

2.8/5Moderate

How safe is Cape Town?

Maia

Maia

Listen is all realness Cape town is so beautiful here but the crime here is like 50/50 in some places its not so bad but please be aware of your surroundings and what your around and who your around, i stay in plattekloof and most people consider it safe but then again ive gotten mugged at the duck pond before, just stay aware ladies always carry something to protect yourselfsšŸ’—šŸ¤žšŸ»

Posted: May 7, 2025
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Capetown is safe in all tourist destinations, although there are some locations you shouldn't go by yourself but in all my stay ofnore than 8 year living in the southern suburbs of Capetown and exploring the city I've never encountered any robbery of some sort or felt not safe

Posted: May 1, 2025
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It's safe if you're not stupid. You can't be completely carefree but it will be fine if you keep your belongings attached to you eg don't just have your phone/wallet hanging out of your pocket. Also definitely wouldn't recommend going out alone at night unless it's in a very safe area and even then be careful.

Posted: February 2, 2025
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Cape Town, like any country has its fair share of problems. It can be seen as a very unsafe place and statistics describe a high amount of crime. However I think that staying out of trouble is fairly easy when taking the right precautions. I think that it is very important to listen to locals and the advice we offer.

Posted: January 19, 2025
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Wherever you go as a women you’ll encounter problems. Cape Town itself isn’t the safest but it’s also not the most dangerous. There are certain conventions to follow such as, uber in a group, walk around in a group, don’t keep the same routine, avoid strangers, be careful when you’re out and about. For me, I don’t feel all that unsafe but it’s always good to keep your awareness up. I’ve lived in Cape Town for about a year now and haven’t encountered many issues because I follow certain living conventions but other than that, I really enjoy it here.

Posted: January 6, 2025
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Cape Town has pockets of safe spots. Going out after dark by yourself as a solo traveler let alone a female is NOT advisable. Also choose very carefully which hostel or hotel you decide to stay in if you’re unable to find a suitable host. Because not all reviews online are necessarily accurate. And when it comes to your safety. That’s of paramount importance. Take care and extra precautions!

Posted: October 20, 2024
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Cape Town can be unsafe in specific areas and safer in other areas. I have lived in Cape Town my whole life this I’m aware and will tell you which areas to avoid. I can also travel around with you to make it more safe. It is known as a very dangerous city but as I mentioned earlier there are safe areas and dangerous areas.

Posted: August 18, 2024
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Neo

Neo

Cape Town is mostly fine during the day, especially in the more bougie, gentrified areas. People will catcall you as you’re walking down the street, but apart from that there is very little likelihood of anyone actually confronting you. Once it gets dark it’s a different story… Don’t travel alone, don’t do silly things like leave your door open to the street and don’t leave your belongings unattended. I do know a fair number of people who have been mugged at night, my boyfriend got attacked by someone wielding a panga walking home from a club, and I’ve had things stolen out of my house because I left my window open and they just reached in and grabbed it. Our criminals are not smart, and most crimes are crimes of opportunity. As long as you are sensible, you should be fine :)

Posted: June 8, 2024
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It’s dependent on the area, people who havent travelled to Cape Town before should ensure that they are aware of the town they are staying in to ensure it’s considered a moderately safe environment. Some areas are more dangerous than others, however caution should be taken regardless.

Posted: June 6, 2024
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Cape Town is a beautiful country but there is little safety for women. You cannot drive at night, you cannot walk alone through the city centre, it’s very unsafe to go clubbing or to be excessively drunk in public. It’s a destination I’d only recommend to travellers who know a local and will be staying with them.

Posted: March 27, 2024
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Is Cape Town worth visiting?

Travel rating

4.6 /5

based on 33 experiences from female travelers

Family travel

I felt sooo safe as in even after it got dark and well past my normal "get into the house now or else your in danger" time We budgeted around 10k+ including travel n lodging expenses plus food n activites and for transport we used Uber everywhere(extremely expensive) id reccomend renting a car instead since it'll be cheaper in the long run else the traffic is controlled and neat We stayed at ocean vibes inn it was an amazing place and the owners were extremely nice but i wouldn't recommend as its far from most of the activies which are literally in the centre or near VA waterfront which was far from us

Posted: April 26, 2025Experienced: December, 2024
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Solo travel

Overall I felt safe, because I followed advice from Lokals. Never leave your belongings unwatched. Don't enter Townships and put your phone away while waiting for your Uber. I can really recommend doing a sunrise hike on lions head. But make sure other people will join you for that.

Posted: December 5, 2024Experienced: September, 2024
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Meet locals in Cape Town

Gema

Gema

About Me

Hi! I’m Gema. I’m adventurous and will say yes to trying something new, but I also value peaceful rest and slow mornings. ā˜€ļø Fresh out of high school and I’m looking to step out of my comfort zone in new ways and meet new people along the way for lifelong memories together. I’ve just come back from working abroad and I’m looking forward to planning my first solo travel trip. āœˆļø

Speaking

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Maia

Maia

About Me

My name is Maia.šŸ’— Im from the USA, i moved to cape town when i was three. Im a nail tech and im still a student at the moment, im a foodie and a binge watching series girlie and loveeee the winteršŸ’— I love making new friends im also a very humorous person, I love nature and love going on walks im also a gardening girlie ifykyk im open to making new friends and trying new adventuresā™”

Speaking

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Safety in South Africa

Frequently asked questions

Is Cape Town safe?

Women living in Cape Town consider the safety level to be relatively low, with an overall safety rating of 2.1 out of 5.

Is Cape Town safe to walk alone at night?

Women living in Cape Town consider walking alone at night to be very unsafe, with an overall safety rating of 1 out of 5

Is public transport safe in Cape Town?

Women living in Cape Town consider public transport to be relatively unsafe, with an overall safety rating of 2.1 out of 5.

What is the crime rate in Cape Town?

Women living in Cape Town consider the crime rate to be relatively high, with an overall crime rating of 3.5 out of 5.

What is the risk of being sexually harassed in Cape Town?

Women living in Cape Town consider the risk of being sexually harassed to be moderate, with an overall risk rating of 2.9 out of 5.

What is the risk of being sexually assaulted or raped in Cape Town?

Women living in Cape Town consider the risk of being sexually assaulted or raped to be moderate, with an overall risk rating of 3.1 out of 5.

What is the risk of being physically attacked in Cape Town?

Women living in Cape Town consider the risk of being physically attacked to be moderate, with an overall risk rating of 2.8 out of 5.

What is the risk of burglary in Cape Town?

Women living in Cape Town consider the risk of burglary to be moderate, with an overall risk rating of 2.8 out of 5.

What is the risk of being mugged or robbed in Cape Town?

Women living in Cape Town consider the risk of being mugged or robbed to be relatively high, with an overall risk rating of 3.6 out of 5.

What is the risk of being kidnapped or murdered in Cape Town?

Women living in Cape Town consider the risk of being kidnapped or murdered to be moderate, with an overall risk rating of 2.8 out of 5.