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Safety for Women

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Safety Issues for Women Traveling Solo
Stay Safe But Don’t Stay Home
By Zahara Heckscher

Zaraha Heckscher(left) with a Musonda friend in Zambia from Safety Issues for Women Traveling Solo: Stay Safe But Don’t Stay Home.

Women are frequently warned about independent international travel. Unfortunately, it is true that women are much more likely than men to be the victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault. In virtually every country I have visited I heard from female travelers and volunteers who had been subjected to "frequent come-ons, unwanted touching, or inappropriate comments," in the words of one Peace Corps volunteer. Harassment and assault range from verbal harassment, to crude propositions, to groping (especially by men in …show more content…

(In India, a toe ring on your second toe means you’re not available.) Many volunteers learn strategies from local women. In Mexico, for example, women often sit together, even if they don’t know each other. Other tips, in the words of previous travelers, include:

• "Be careful about letting your guard down while on vacation." • "Travel with a group at night." • "Before you leave home, talk to other women who have traveled in the countries you plan to visit." • "The in-country program director cautioned us against looking or staring at the men for too long at a time; this could be misinterpreted since the women in the local villages were taught not to make eye contact with the men." • "Be ready to give up some freedoms that you are used to at home." • "Females must take care with their dealings with any male older than 14 and younger than 75. I was often misunderstood at first and didn’t realize that plain speaking and looking at a man directly when speaking to him could be misinterpreted as flirting. I learned quickly to be very formal and to always involve several people in any conversation." • "Don’t be afraid to ask about the security situation where you are posted and find out about any prior incidents that may have occurred in the area." • "When it comes to your life, you can’t be too cautious." No matter what you do or don’t do, remember that it is not your fault if you are assaulted. If you are raped or assaulted, it is most

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