Your Trip Guru

How to Handle Sexual Harassment When Traveling Abroad

If you are a woman traveling alone or with a small group of other women, there may be times when you feel in danger or angry by persistent male interest.

(1) Look to nearby women for help, especially older women who may feel protective of you. A specific appeal to a woman, such as a shopkeeper, will likely be more effective at shooing away unwanted solicitors than a general appeal to a crowd of women.

(2)Study connections between local men and women for appropriate nonverbal ways for interacting: Do men and women who are strangers make eye contact when speaking? Are outsider treated differently than friends or associates? How far apart do women and men sit or stand from one another when conversing?

(3) Make known yourself with how to find local police, proprietors of stores or conductors on trains, and appeal to such authority figures for help if harassment is persistent.

(4)Be assertive when saying, “No,” to unwanted advances, making certain that everything in gesture and demeanor indicates “No”: speak loudly so that others will hear you; turn away or cross your arms firmly in front of you; be prepared to leave the venue or join others for protection.

(5)Do your study ahead of time to know what to expect as a foreign woman traveling in the country you will be visiting. Your research should include appropriate clothes for women, racially appropriate behavior between men and women, and places women may be restricted from entering.

(6)Watch how local women avoid advances from men and follow their cues. If shooing a man away or turning suddenly away appears to shame and dissuade a pursuer, be prepared to use these gestures yourself.

Tips & Warnings

(1) Believe taking a self-defense course before departing on a trip if you plan to be traveling unaccompanied and in an unfamiliar area.

(2)Check guidebooks for advice on clothing that is considered appropriate for women in the region you intend to stay. It’s a good plan to pack at least one modest and conservative outfit in case you hit upon yourself in a situation where you don’t want to draw attention to yourself.