Comments on: Revisiting the solo female travel experience

By: Izy Berry

Izy Berry — Sun, 19 May 2013 12:35:09 +0000

I love solo travel – even as a female. I’ve traveled to both India and Morocco which I found challenging, but extremely rewarding! Thanks for this post :)

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:54:53 +0000

Thank you for reframing this issue – I feel like it’s a constant struggle we have to engage in on the topic of general rape, too – “she shouldn’t have dressed like that”/”she shouldn’t have been running in Central Park at night.” HELLO – HE SHOULDN’T HAVE RAPED HER. And, as you mentioned, the majority of rapes occur by acquaintances anyway.

I consider this such a frustrating and important issue, and I was really grateful to read your piece, which was clearly and beautifully written.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:39:22 +0000

Great post – thank you! People are obsessed with talking about the dangers out there for solo female travellers – as if this is some kind of women-only phenomena and not scare-mongering media hype! This is exactly the kind of thing that makes women feel as though they can’t or shouldn’t travel alone. I’M SO GLAD I STOPPED LISTENING AND BOUGHT THAT ONE-WAY TICKET, and would recommend it to anyone.

:-)

By: Justin Mingus

Justin Mingus — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 04:55:22 +0000

As a solo male American traveler and I have never had a problem (yet). However, it can be extremely difficult to balance adventure-seeking with caution. I once had an in-depth conversation about this very idea with a fellow traveler in Thailand. We want to be open to new and exciting experiences, as well as being open with our hearts to the people that we meet along our journeys, but this can come with a price – a compromising of our safety. The woman in Thailand (in Koh Chiang, she was originally from Slovakia) was telling me about how she went clubbing with some guy that picked her up on his motorcycle (off the street after just meeting her), in Ibiza I believe. And I basically said that that was crazy. Solo female, unknown male, speeding you off to who knows where? Thankfully nothing happened to her, but I still had problems with it. Not because she was a woman, but because you are putting yourself into a compromising position with an unknown outcome.

So to Jodi and my fellow travelers, how do we balance risk-taking/adventure-seeking, with safety and caution? Perhaps jumping on the back of the motorcycle could be life changing, but for the better or the worse is sort of up in the air. I don’t want neutral or boring traveling experiences, i.e, overcautious/paranoia, I want the “real deal,” so does my traveling really come down to cost/benefit analyses day in and day out?

To sum up: vigilance comes with a price, but so does ignorance/naivete when traveling. So I suppose the best road, as usual, is the middle one.

By: OCDemon

OCDemon — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 03:16:48 +0000

It’s pretty ridiculous that people who have never visited a country look at one or two incidents and decide it must be horrifically dangerous there, all the while neglecting to peruse the crime statistics and realize that the USA is one of the worst places to be a woman in the modern world, and our crime rate is stupidly higher than most industrialized countries. Care about your kids? Move to Belgium!

By: Laura

Laura — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 01:31:55 +0000

I have to say this is a pretty phenomenal post. I had a conversation with my Mom because, as New Yorkers, we both heard of the story on our local news channel and, as a solo female traveller, she used the story to raise her concerns about my safety. I tried to explain to her that the reality of being a woman not just today but throughout the history of the world has always been grim. Thank you so much for mentioning the demon by its name — violence against women. We will never cure our diseases if we only treat their symptoms.

By: Steff

Steff — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 10:48:57 +0000

Whenever I get hassled I just start shouting at them, this usually draws enough attention to get them to piss off. Speaking to (or shouting at) them in their own language is even better as they less likely to think of you as a vulnerable tourist. I totally agree with what you’re saying though, the issue is violence against women and that is what this should be about, not condoning that women abstain from solo travel and it is definitely not a platform express racist views about Muslim countries. People should open their eyes to what is happening in their own country, even on their own street. Remaining blind to the true issue here makes criminals of us all.

By: Ayesha

Ayesha — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:47:59 +0000

Wonderful post!

By: Nishi Jain

Nishi Jain — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 07:54:40 +0000

That was a brilliant article, Legal Nomad. I wish more females could think like that, and be so much sorted. I wish some of them could be allowed that thought.
It is indeed ironic that the mishap had to happen in New York, and not in any exotic destination as Middle East or North Africa.
The practical tips are indeed clever, especially the rubber doorstop and safety whistle thing.
I hope I can share your article or extracts from it with my female friends on social media; of course, with all due credit.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 06:17:20 +0000

A very well put together post. As a male who often travels solo, many of the potential problems are just as big a threat for me. I even experienced the exact same hassle in Fes in refusing an unofficial guide through the Medina. I got followed and shouted at.