I'm moving to Brooklyn on July 1... I'll be at the Brooklyn YWCA until I find a job (just graduated from college). Is the Boerum Hill area pretty decent?

Honestly, I'm scared to death of being out at night by myself. I lived in Times Square for one semester with 20 other students this fall, so I nearly always had someone to be out with. I'm so scared of being mugged, or much worse.

1. Have any of you ever been mugged or know someone who has?
2. Really, how safe is the city at night? Times Square was fine because so many people are around, but what about subways going to Brooklyn? I don't know much about the area and how well-lit it is, but I'm worried about walking home from the subway (a couple of blocks). I'm a 21-year-old white female, and not only that, but I'm not from New York.
3. Do any of you know of any PR/advertising/marketing firms in New York that are hiring entry-level professionals?

Thanks guys... I feel better just knowing that there are friendly New Yorkers on this board!

I don't know anyone who's been mugged in this city, literally since 1997. I was mugged once - in 1988, on the subway. Much of the city has become almost absurdly safe; we're now something like 250th on the per capita list of the FBI's most dangerous cities.

There are still dangerous neighborhoods, but violent crime is by and large confined to those neighborhoods (Bed-Stuy, East New York, parts of the south-central Bronx, etc.) The occasional violent crime happens outside those areas, but as rarely as it does in other large cities considered safe.

Boerum Hill is fine. You're barely in Brooklyn at all; the subway there is fine 24 hours a day.

Thank you tons... I've been watching way too much "Law and Order: SVU" (something I rarely did on my first trip to the city)!

I think New York is safer than Sydney, there are so many people around at all times of the day. I take much more care in Sydney late at night than I ever did in New York.

By the way, nyctexan, you might find as you browse this board that I'm telling people that all sorts of places aren't safe. Those people happen just to be asking specifically about those few outlying, not-so-great neighborhoods.

Gotcha. I figure that as long as I'm careful and don't do stupid things like walk through a deserted playground at night (shortcut be damned, I'll take the regular route at night), I'll be fine

absolutely. Boerum Hill is a nice area. You don't have anything to worry about.

As you begin your job hunt, don't get sucked into any scams. Lots of people have recently been induced to sending all their personal information via email to someone representing themselves as "Grey Marketing." Just be very careful. Incidentally, this particular scam artist apparently got their mailing list from monster.com. Something to think about!

Betoracle- That was a crazy thread on the Tripadvisor site! I read it. Wow what a bummer.

Anyhow, NYCTexan I am sure you will find that NYC is very safe. I am also a recent college grad (Dec 2004!) and feel very safe in NYC. Whenever I get jumpy its because I freak myself out for no reason. I live in Morningside Heights and while I would be uncomfortable living much further north than that as a single female I am sure that is not because it would be unsafe but rather since I didn't grow up in the city I would be overly nervous. Like I said I sometimes freak myself out. During the day there is really no where on Manhattan I would avoid. At night just be smart. My friend is moving to Brooklyn on July 1 as well to teach summer school at NYC public schools! What a coincidence! Good luck with the job and apt search. Unfortunately I am in accounting so I can't help you there (too bad too because my firm is hiring.... ah well). It is great to be young and single in NYC. If you need to live poor and cramped might as well do it while you are alone!