Ok I don't think about these safety matters because around here is quiet, everyone know everyone by a degree or another. We think as community not as individuals and we work for the benefits of the community and future generations to come. 

It makes sense that in bigger centers, it is harder to build trust with other parties. One must establish themselves as such or provide a service professionally to build a reputation.

In my case, when there's no one available, I use online tools like Robosats and Bisq. Just with these options, one really no need for more exposure.

That can work, but I think meeting in person still carries its own risks. Even someone you know may not always be as trustworthy as you think. There was a recent case in Mexico where a family was allegedly killed because of their Bitcoin holdings. Stories like that are a reminder that privacy is not the only concern. Physical safety matters too. For me, knowing someone personally would reduce some risk, but it would never remove it completely.

SkyLords

The best option for me is to have a trusted network of peers I can reachout and meet IRL to exchange sats directly, wait for confirmation when onchain and then spend some time together to chit chat.