SamanthaB’s community post got me thinking. This feminist college student is studying (well, perhaps studying isn’t quite the right word, haha) in the Netherlands for the semester and I’ve been lucky enough to do quite a bit of traveling. Knowing that I’m coming back to a job with severely cut wages and hours has forced me to think seriously about how frequently I travel and how I get there.
Quite a few of my guy friends have managed to get all over continental Europe for almost nothing by hitchhiking and couch surfing—they do it nearly every weekend. God knows I’d love to join them on their adventures, but I’m pretty damn sure that these things aren’t safe if you’re a woman, especially a woman traveling alone. Every travel guide I’ve read—and even reports written by fellow students in the last couple years—has told me that when women travel in some countries (Morocco and South Africa come to mind), they run a pretty significant risk of assault unless they bring a man along.
I don’t like the idea of needing to be ‘protected’ by a big, strong man. And I also don’t like the idea of blacklisting certain countries as unsafe spaces and never seeing them in my lifetime. SO…
How does a woman travel by herself safely without having to spend a ton of money? And can we do this at all? It makes me think of the dilemma we all face when we go out at night: will we be blamed for a sexual assault if we drink too much because we were being ‘irresponsible’? If we dress a certain way, are we ‘asking for it’?
So what do we do? Do we go out bravely into the world, traveling how we want and where we want, while acknowledging that we’re taking a risk? Or do we take the safe and dependent route? How do we get the most out of a world that's not quite ideal?
(Caveat: I’m aware that the whole notion of tourism comes with its own little knapsack (how appropriate!) of privilege and that the safety of tourists shouldn’t be thought more important than the safety of women and other oppressed groups. Just a thought that’s really current for me and a lot of other young feminists at the moment.)
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This is actually a topic near and dear to my heart as I also love to travel. I had a friend (woman) who Hitchhiked across Nicaragua. A couple of things that I should point out though, 1) she is Brazilian, speaks fluent Portuguese and Spanish (with no accent) so she doesn't ever look like a tourist. 2) She wasn't alone, she was with her boyfriend who also speaks fluent Spanish but very much looks like an American tourist. I would probably would not have done that because I am easily spotted as a tourist and I am not fluent.
But....I did do a lot of traveling in Europe with a friend (woman) only. We didn't hitch hike but we did wander around a lot and stay in super cheap hostels, and sleep in train stations. I walked home from clubs in Paris in the we hours of the morning and go very drunk in Rome. Nothing bad happened to me.
This is going to kill any parents out there, but I think that dangerous things can happen anywhere and people do prey on tourist to rob but I just don't believe that there are serial killers or a herd of rapists waiting for American College students on spring break (except of course for the girls gone wild crew). Don't do anything you don't want to do and know where you are at all times that is it.
Honestly, getting mugged (at least in Europe and Latin America) is much more common. I always handled this by not looking like I had anything to take.
I've walked home from Paris clubs in the wee hours of the morning too. I never did it all alone, but I felt perfectly safe with one or two other girls, and I think I would have felt safe alone in most areas too. However, I've always had the impression that Paris is a lot safer than most cities. Paris is a little backwards-- the center of it is safe and clean with wide open streets, and the slums are on the outskirts. Most cities have the bad areas of town in the center, roughly. So in Paris you can easily go clubbing and walk home across half the city without having to go through any bad areas. Also, especially in the summer there are lots of people around at night, tourists and students and stuff, so it feels pretty safe all around.
Having also spent some time in Central America, I wouldn't walk around a city there at night by myself, ever, at least not the cities I've been to. I'm sure it depends exactly where you go, but for example, the president of guatemala is currently accused of ordering an assasination, and the crime rate is through the roof. Its not a very stable place. I think some of the countries further south (like Chile) might be a bit safer, but I'm not sure.
So, think about exactly where you're going, and research what its like. And no matter where you go, I still wouldn't hitchhike. Getting in a car with a stranger is probably a much bigger risk than taking public transportation by yourself. If you really have to hitchhike, you're probably statistically safer if you only take rides from women or families. Probably most men are safe and some women are psychos, but you're playing the odds.
Also, pepper spray and mace are illegal in some parts of Europe, but you can get other types of spray that are legal (and less effective).
Most cities have the bad areas of town in the center, roughly.
Really? I'd always thought of that as a very American thing - or at least not-European.
Well, maybe I'm generalizing too much. Paris is the only big European city I've spent any significant time in, so maybe most European cities are like that. But I've been to London a bit and it seemed bigger and less safe... Other than that, yeah, I guess I am mostly comparing to American or Latin American cities, which tend to have bad areas in the inner city.
Even in some American cities, the center is pretty safe and (some of the) outskirts are less safe. I go to college in Baltimore, my college is in the central part of the city and it's fairly safe for a big city. West and East Baltimore, which are more on the outskirts are the sketchiest areas. Of course, the more "suburban" outskirts are probably the safest parts of the city too. But I've always thought that dead center in an American city - like the "main" street or square or whatever - is usually pretty safe and the slums are out toward the edges of the city.
Agreed. Dead center in Pittsburgh is very safe, especially at night. Everything is essentially office buildings and shops, which all close between 4 and 7 pm. After that, no one is around except the restaurant and theater crowd. They are only starting to build condos and high rise apartments in the city center. Its when you get to the outskirts, for the most part, that there are problems.
Hi!
I've done some long distance hitch hiking, and in my experience highways and freeways are a bigger menance than the posibility of assult.
Most of my hitch hiking has been done up and down Norway, but I'm hoping the chance to venture down into europe will come this summer.
Here are some general safety tips for women (and for men), that you most likely will find other places as well:
1. Standing along the road with your thumb up might look cool and it sure feels great, but for long distance I recomend truck stops, gas stations and similar places where you can size people up before getting into their car. Not to mention the fact that the drivers get to size you up too, and it's a lot more convinient for them this way.
2. Keep in touch with your friends/family, and do it in a visible way. Pick up the phone and call or text somebody and inform the driver that you're just letting people know where you are. I personally use twitter for this purpose, it's a lot more convinient than sending the same text to 11 people.
3. It's great to explore on random and let destiny play it's part in where you're going, but it's a lot safer to have a more or less detailed plan about the different stages of the trip. I'm geeky so I like to keep track of my wherabouts on google earth on my phone. It might not really make it any safer, but it will feel more secure when you're able to tell easily where you are in the world. Detailed maps are also great, I do those as well.
4. It's okay to turn somebody down, even if it was you that approached them, but some times it can feel difficult, especially when you do it on a vauge hunch and not an obvious reason. My advice here is to prepare som lines and excuses, knowing what to do and say makes it a lot easier.
5. Don't put yourself in a possision where you get desperate. In other words, bring warm clothes, rain clothes and enough food. Be mentally prepared for a long wait, you'll get used to them.
6. I love an argument and especially if it's about feminism, abortion rights, other politics or religion. Sadly all of these have a pussyfooting clause when it comes to hitch hiking. These are inflamatory subjects for many, and you don't want the driver to get distracted at full speed on the highway, and you don't want the driver to put you of at the side of said high way. Getting a new lift from the highway side is alomst impossible. I pretty much avoid subjects such as these unless it is the driver himself that open for them.
7. Sometimes some drivers will without warning start talking about something that might offend, scare or repulse you. They might do it on purpose, they might not. Tell them you need to use the restroom and ask to be let off at the nearest gas station or rest stop. Then tell them you want to stay a while and say godbye. As before the highway side will not improve your comfort or your safety in any considerable way.
8. If you get really afraid speed dial 911 or similar in your pocket. When deciding between safe or sorry, gut feeling is king.
9. If you're on your period go double with a sanitary pad in addition to your tampoon/menstrual cup. Or something extra large if you only use pads. If you ask somebody to stop and wait for you to use the restroom, bring your luggage even it it feels silly. Don't feel silly asking somebody to stop so you can use the restroom even if it's only to check how it's going down there, and don't feel silly if you decide against it.
10. Most importantly. Enjoy the ride and enjoy your random company.
Don't hitchhike in South Africa. Period. The crime rate in the beautiful country is extremely high and things like that are just dangerous.
I studied there a few years ago. My homestay family and professors were emphatic about not walking anywhere after dark, even down the block. Travel by car at night was alright. When taking taxis, you have to be careful that you are getting a legitimate cab company. We used the same couple of drivers while we were there, who gave us their cell numbers. We stayed in some backpackers' hostels while we were there, and they were wonderful - especially in Port Elizabeth. Most of the time I was traveling about, it was with two other women and we did run into some scary, potentially dangerous situations because in part because we made ignorant decisions and in part because there wasn't a guy around. Lame.
That said, you can definitely travel the country safely as a woman (I did), but you just need to be aware that the crime level is much higher. I found that that involved a lot more planning. We couldn't just sort of wander around the way I have in other cities/countries. We needed to plan with the taxis drivers when to arrive and leave. We needed to figure out ahead of time where we could and could not leave certain streets. The best way is to ask a lot of the locals. I was in Durban and traveled exclusively in the East, so I can't speak to the other side of the country.
Yeah south africa can be a joy :) I'm a big airhead so I managed to wander off a bit when I was in cape town, it isn't the worst of the cities there though.
I found streets where you have to ring the bell to get into some of the the shops, that was novel, it felt super creepy when they locked the door behind me... X(
At night I was almost pulled into a car once when I went to look for something interesting to eat. A car stopped by me as I crossed the street, a door opened and somebody shouted for me to get into the car. It was a freaky situation, I smiled, waved and said "maybe another time."
On a lighter note, Cape town has some of the best sea food I ever tasted.
On another note my girlfriend hitch hiked in Pretoria in the middle of the night. The driver masturbated, but was othervisely polite... Oh Patty, you get the weirdest shit happening to you...
Yes, I think a lot of the safety rules about South Africa apply to people of both genders. I also studied there and either lived with families or in an apartment alone, both situations worked out well for me. All of my traveling was with a large group.
My apartment was in Rondebosch, a fairly upscale area right next to the University of Cape Town. I had no problem walking, taking a minibus, train, or cab alone during the day, but night was a different story. I remember one time I was walking at dusk back to my apartment and was very wary. A few weeks after that a friend was mugged carrying groceries back to a party after dark. Around this time a professor at UCT was killed in a mugging.
Even in the less upscale areas, the problem was less with being female and more with so obviously being a tourist. I'm white, but don't look like an Afrikaner and stuck out quite noticeably as being from another (wealthy) country. Many other students, male and female, were mugged during our time in SA. Traveling alone can be risky for anyone. Following all the safety rules is key.
Hm :)
Just to add, there is really only one important rule when all comes to all: "gut feeling is king".
I once argued with a pro lifer and said that he was a dranged lunatic when he was doing 70 on the freeway.
I once got into the back seat of a scrappy car with three scrappy looking tjetjenian guys that I really didn't feel comfortable with. It was in the mountains in the winter. They didn't speak much english and I didn't speak russian, they looked at me and asked "married?" in a heavy accented voice. I shook my head when I really felt like nodding. I think they were appalled that I was out doing what I did.
I once slept in the bunk bed of a trailer. The driver was a really nice guy, though he had a background in undercover police work and told me som violent stories. We had 5 hours in front of us, and I was falling asleep in the seat. When he offered me the bed I asked my guts and they said okay.
hitch hiking have put me in a lot of interesting situations, and a few scary ones, I've been insulted and propostioned, I've realised the driver was drunk or high, I've been let off at places where it's impossible to get a new lift.
But I love the road. I love drawing my breath looking out across beginnings and posiblities. And the feeling of getting from A to B totally free. That helps as well.
I can confirm from experience that whilst a street in Morocco is no less safe than any street in the US or UK - the violent crime rates there are significantly lower - you do need to take precautions in areas of South Africa regardless of your travelling arrangements.
Egypt and Morocco have rather outdated reputations; harassment is significantly worse in Egypt (says the student Egyptologist), and more economic than sexual in both countries, but essentially it is just important to not engage with anyone who you aren't interested in talking to.
That said, I can't speak for hitch-hiking. To me it sounds like a risky business for anybody. Buses and taxis in Morocco are extraordinarily cheap and I would suggest that you use them instead.
I can really sympathise with this; my brother hitchhikes all over the place (less so now that he's got a car) and sings me praises of couchsurfing - seriously annoying as he completely fails to realise that there are safety matters I need to consider that he doesn't! That said, a female friend of mine also espouses couchsurfing.com and didn't seem to have any problems.
As far as continental Europe goes... I usually travel by train or plane, which is sadly expensive but you occasionally get some exceptional deals if you look in the right places and book early enough (e.g. getting a train from my hometown in Germany to London for around fifty euros), also things like weekend tickets (for around forty euros up to five people can travel on all German regional trains for a weekend) and other specials like that. Sadly, this is probably still not comparable to hitchhiking as far as prices go, but it's definitely safe.
I have to say couchsurfing.com is pretty awesome for places to stay. You can find a lot about who is hosting the place to stay, and also read reviews on people. The organization does a good job of trying to make safety a large priority. While they dont take responsibility for your safety, they do try to give you tools to evaluate where you are staying. I personally have used it as have several friends. About the worse story I ever heard was someone insisting my friend come back to the house by 9pm -- which when you are on vacation is a bit early and so my friend found another place to stay.
Also at least in Germany there are ride share programs. There are several agencies that run these. Look for ones that do background checks and have other safety precautions like tracking where you are going and who you are going with. You do have to pay cash to help with gas and supplies (the cost is upfront and set by the driver). If you dont speak German (or the native language of the country you are in) they might be a bit more difficult to use. That being said it is much cheaper than trains/flying and more reliable than hitchhiking.
I've hitchhiked up the west coast of the United States, and then from there hitched all the way out to Missouri (about 2/3 of the way across the country). I traveled with another girl. You'll get a lot of sexist assholes, but for the 3 months I was hitching, I only had one guy ask us for sex. We declined and a few minutes later he asked us if we were sure, so we had him drop us off at the nearest stop. Also, always carry a knife, can of pepper spray, gun, sledgehammer, etc.
Anybody hoboed? I'd read a bit about riding trains but didnt know about safety for women. I figure its similar to hitchiking.
I've been a couchsurfing member since 2005 (and mostly have only hosted). You have a pretty good idea of who's hosting you before you ever get there, and you can choose to stay with women only. I've never had a problem (other than the occasional minor personality clash). The worst story I heard from a couchsurfer had to do with a mouse falling out of a chandelier onto her bed).
i would be so scared to hitchhike anywhere. This is so cool that they did this but not for me.
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