Central America and Mexico may not be as relevant? New Zealand and Australia aren't some of many many places in Indonesia, the Philippines, or SE Asia.

Whether they are starting up on a boat already there or journeying makes a difference. It's also such a diverse area. There are areas where things are a lot scarier than others from what I have read. Some areas are reported as safer for commercial vessels than the used to be because of local naval interdiction. I don't know if cruising sailboats are better off today or worse.

If it's just two people on a boat vs a larger crew, etc., then I suppose there are differences.

I have no firsthand cruising experience cruising in "bliss", unarmed in that part of the world.

Brian? You certainly got closer to that area. Others?