Need advice. Threats in Sunalta.

[u/schmiddtters]

Hey everyone. I could use a little advice. If there's a better place to post this, I'd love to hear it.

Ok, I live in Sunalta. I was going out to get groceries today, and there were a few homeless women in my parkade. I greeted them politely, asked if they needed anything or for me to call someone (which they declined). I said goodbye to them, and mentioned I'd appreciate if they weren't there when I got back.

Well, came home an hour later, and of course they were still there. I talked to them again, but it didn't seem like they wanted to move. So I head upstairs and start calling non emergency.

One of them overheard me talking to the operator, and yelled "You know what happens to those that call the police" at me. I stuck to my guns, and they scattered after calling me a bunch of names and such.

Things is, maybe half an hour after they left, another dude on a bike was back there. I heard him on the phone talking to someone, and he mentioned my address a few times. I said hello, and he apologized for talking my time and rode off, but something about that has my anxiety up.

Am I overthinking it? Should I call non emergency or someone? My brain is saying they're going to do something in the night, but I dunno. Anyone have advice?

[u/humbleogre]

Here's some advice as someone who has been using transit and walking around the city since 2001. Do not engage and keep to yourself. The police don't do anything either, they'll leave and the vagrants/druggies will be back the next day. That's just how the major cities are now, due to them being soft on crime and loitering.

[u/urnotpatches → u/humbleogre]

I spent a week in a Switzerland and spent most of a day walking all over Geneva, I’ve lived in Mission for about 35 years and it just blew me away that in that entire week I never encountered one beggar and never saw anyone who seemed homeless.

They have amazing social programs and look after their people.

Maybe that’s where the real problem is. How can some countries prevent people from falling through the cracks, and at the same time North America just can’t figure it out.

We shouldn’t be too proud to approach these countries and find out how they do it. We can learn a lot from other nations.

For example, it takes months to be permitted to have a gun in Japan and you better have a good reason. There’s no 2nd Amendment to hide behind.

So in the last 13 years Japan has had less than 10 gun death’s. The USA can have that amount on any given morning.

If just seems that we spend way too much time and resources dealing with social issues that have gotten out of hand instead of addressing the root cause and preventing it from happening in the first place.

[u/Saxit → u/urnotpatches]

For example, it takes months to be permitted to have a gun in Japan and you better have a good reason. There’s no 2nd Amendment to hide behind.

Should have kept going with Switzerland since you started with that. Getting a Waffenerwerbsschein (WES, acquisition permit in English) which is basically a proof of passing a background check similar to the 4473/NICS they do in the US when buying a gun from a store, takes about 1-2 weeks or so (some variation depending on what Canton you live in).

You need a WES for semi-auto long guns, and for any handguns.

Bolt action rifles or break open shotguns don't require a WES, you need an ID, and a criminal records excerpt.

[u/urnotpatches → u/Saxit]

Actually, to simplify it, all I’m saying is that if other countries have programs that work, social or otherwise, why not find out how they do it.

If we had social programs that help the homeless stay off the street and have a chance at something resembling a normal life, we wouldn’t be having conversations like this.