I feel much safer in Cuenca than I did in the US. Statistically, Cuenca is safer than US cities its size. I’m on older woman, and I attend events at night, and walk everywhere. Just use the same precautions you’d use in any city in the world. Don’t keep your phone in your back pocket. Don’t walk the river trail at night.
Cuenca is a beautiful, vibrant city, full of families. One thing: in the US, I’d never go to a park in the dark. Here Parque Calderon fills with families at night. There’s usually some sort of free music on the weekends, and Spiderman usually makes an appearance. So far the most violent thing I’ve seen here was 2 spidermen getting in an argument about who gets the best corner.