It’s no secret that most of us love traveling. We get to enjoy different cultures, see sights we’d die for, and meet new people. However, travel isn’t always the joyful ride one would think it is. If you go on vacation alone, you might soon find out that being by yourself isn’t the best of ideas, especially abroad. In this article, we’ll list tips to avoid unpleasant scenarios while traveling to a foreign country.
What Is Sexual Harassment?
Before we talk about tips to avoid unwanted sex advances while traveling alone, we should explain what sexual harassment is. Namely, this is a form of harassment that involves concrete or implied sexual overtones. These overtones usually revolve around the promise of benefits if the person provides sexual favors.
Unfortunately, sexual harassment doesn’t just stop with words. It can be physical abuse or even full-on assault. The places where this form of misbehavior can happen varies, but it typically occurs in workplaces, at home, in schools, and, unfortunately, on vacations. And lastly, it can happen to anyone, regardless of age or gender.
What Are Types of Sexual Harassment?
Unfortunately, there are several types of sexual harassment, with many people unaware of its more subdued forms. Here are some of them:
- Offering employment to someone in exchange for sexual services;
- Physically assaulting a person to have sex with them;
- Requesting sexual favors;
- Talking to someone about sex and including them or their sexual orientation;
- Physically contacting someone by touching, rubbing, or kissing them;
- Making sexual advances;
- Talking about sex and fantasies while at work or other unsuitable situations;
- Masturbating in front of someone unwilling to watch;
- Sharing photos or messages of sexual content to unaware people.
Tip #1: Do Research About Your Destination
The first step to traveling safely alone is to do research about your destination. No matter where you’re going, you should Google some basic info about the place. From what the population likes to how low or high is the crime rate to and other people’s experiences, all that information is vital for safe travel.
Luckily, it’s easy to do your research these days. With the internet and access to numerous travel sites, social media pages, and accounts, it’s easy to find safe places around the globe. Moreover, you’ll only find destinations where the chances of sexual harassment are equal to none, as there are not many people who would advertise places otherwise.
Tip #2: Try to Communicate With the Locals
Talking to locals is key in many ways, let alone staying away from trouble. If you act normally and ask questions politely, you’re more likely to get a proper response. Of course, you don’t have to be direct about asking if there’s any trouble around. People might find it offensive if you immediately label their town, city, or country as hostile.
If you’re a woman, then you, unfortunately, have a higher chance of experiencing sexual harassment. Hence, it’s better to talk about the local situation to other women. Not only are they less prone to violent responses, but they’ll also better understand your concerns. Of course, we’re not saying men won’t help — it’s just less likely.
Tip #3: Carefully Choose and Check Your Accommodation
Avoiding sexual harassment doesn’t end with talking to the local population. To reassure yourself even better, you should carefully choose where you’re staying. Aside from making sure you have a clean and comfy place to rest and leave your baggage, you’ll know how likely it is for something to happen to you.
The best way to do this is to read reviews written by other people. Most of these reviewers don’t have anything to gain from praising hotels, motels, and apartments. So, their judgment should mostly be genuine. But in case there aren’t any reviews, and you’re not so sure about your safety at a destined accommodation, it might be best to skip it.
Tip #4: Know How to Contact the Authorities
The last tip on traveling alone safely is probably the most important one. Namely, it’s key to have the numbers of local authorities if you’re going abroad. These include all emergency services, but especially the police. Those numbers — or that number, in some places — can prove lifesaving in unsafe situations.
On the other hand, it’s not just about local emergency services. If you’re an American citizen, you should look up the embassy’s contact phone as well. Although we hope you never end up in a situation where you should use this number, the embassy can make all the difference. This is especially true for the U.S. one, as its reputation speaks for itself.
Here’s How You Can Help
Regardless of whether you face sexual harassment while traveling or not, you can make a difference. By sharing your experiences about towns, countries, hotels, and other accommodations online, you’ll make sure other women have better information on where they’re heading. In those reviews, you can mention the local authorities, how helpful the locals are, and which areas to avoid while alone.
Don’t feel bad about sharing your opinions and experiences online. After all, so many of us do it daily with social media that it’s more than normal these days. Of course, these reviews and comments shouldn’t be malicious. Instead, they should be informative and honest so that they don’t damage someone’s reputation or business for no reason.
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