Travel Advice For Women

Once when I was returning to the U.S. from Ecuador I met an American woman on the plane who was returning home after a three month trek around the world, alone.

I couldn’t believe it. She had backpacked her way from Argentina all the way up to Ecuador.

Fortunately, she made it safely.

The next story does not end so happily. Jane and Jo Ann (names changed) were two American college students studying abroad. They went hiking together one day and were approached by a man with a gun. The man robbed and sexually assaulted both women.

These two stories vary greatly but the point is, anything can happen. Some women are lucky not to be victimized, while others are not so lucky.

I suggest the following travel safety tips for women while traveling:

While dining in restaurants abroad, never hang your purse on the back of your chair. Criminals will walk by and steal your purse or the contents inside.

Don’t accept drinks from people you don’t know while in a bar or restaurant. Many times the drinks are laced with drugs like Scopolamine.

While walking with your purse, instead of carrying it with your arm thru the strap, you should tuck it under your arm, not using the strap. This way if a criminal runs by and snatches your purse, you won’t be pulled to the ground during the incident.

I am often asked by women how they should address cat calls or sexual harassment on the street by foreign men. Many women feel the urge to respond by yelling or cursing at the rude men. Some even retaliate with an obscene hand jesture. Unfortunately, this sometimes encourges more harrassment or could cause the men to become more aggresive. The best advise I have is to ignore it, walk with confidence, and continue on your way.

If you are walking to your vehicle, carry your keys in your hand with the points of the keys between your fingers. This way if you are attacked, you may use the keys as a weapon against your attacker.

While driving in a vehicle make sure to put your purse on the floorboard under your seat or behind the passenger seat on the floor.

You should avoid leaving your purse in the passenger seat beside you because criminals can smash your window and steal your purse while you are stopped at a red light. This is one of the common scams used against women abroad.

If you are going to use public transportation, such as a taxi, I recommend sitting in the back seat. Many taxi drivers will ask women to sit in the front seat in an attempt to make unwanted passes at them.

On this note, women should dress conservatively while abroad. In some countries doing otherwise is culturally unacceptable. In other countries it causes unwanted attention. Remember, your goal is to keep a low profile. Don't forget this tip when packing travel clothing for your trip abroad.

Avoid going places alone.

Carry a small whistle on your person, other than in your purse. In the event that you are attacked you can blow the whistle to attract attention to yourself. Hopefully, a good citizen nearby will come to your aid.

Perhaps some of the best travel advice for women is to try to do things to disgust your attacker, in the event that a criminal attempts to sexually assault you.

Try making yourself vomit or urinate. Tell the attacker that you have AIDS or any other sexually transmitted disease.

If you are sexually assaulted report the assault immediately.

Travel safety statistics show that most sexual assaults go unreported to the police. Don’t let this happen to you. I hope this travel advice for women is helpful to female travelers. I have a sister and two nieces so the subject hits close to home for me. So to all women traveling, please be extra careful.

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