Advice for Women Travelers:
Health & Safety

• I have advice on preventing motion sickness in the section of this web site regarding transportation and accommodations choices.

• Call your health insurance provider and see how your insurance works if you are away from your primary care provider and doctors in your network. You should also ask if they will cover you for travel abroad, if you are leaving your country. You can get temporary travel health insurance (check the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide web sites for more information and special deals, as well as AAA if you are a member).

• If you are traveling outside the USA, you may need to buy supplemental health insurance. The US Department of State has an excellent web site on Medical Information for Americans Abroad. In addition, consider buying Medical Evacuation Insurance if you are traveling abroad. The US Travel Insurance Association (UStiA) is a national association of insurance carriers, third-party administrators, insurance agencies and related businesses involved in the development, administration and marketing of travel insurance and travel assistance products.

• Take all the medications you think you might need but might not be able to buy whenever needed, and if you have prescription medication, make sure the bottle descriptions are such that the medication could not possibly be confused for illegal narcotics. If you are going to a country where English is not the primary language, consider carrying a list of your medications and what each is for.

• If you are going to a country where English is not the primary language, have written down what the phrases are for conditions such as "I have a yeast infection" or "I have a urinary tract infection," or any medical conditions you get somewhat regularly.

• Take a self-defense class before you travel. Take more than one. Learn how to get out of a choke hold, learn where to hit or poke someone where it counts, and practice those moves. These classes are very empowering and will help you in your every-day life, not just while traveling.

• Always be aware of the people around you. Know who is behind you and beside you. And don't ever be so inebriated that you won't know this.

• Never let a budget keep you from staying safe. If you feel that you need to upgrade to a better hotel, or to first class on a train, in order to feel safe, do it. If you need to take a taxi to get you out of a bad area of town, do it.

• Avoid driving or traveling at night. That's not only to keep you from being victimized; it's also a great way to substantially reduce your chances of being in a road accident.

• Look at your hotel room when you arrive. Do all the doors and windows lock? What kind of access is there to your room from outside (windows, fire escapes, adjoining balconies, etc.)? If there is a fire, how will you get out? If you aren't satisfied, ask for a different room or leave altogether. It is perfectly acceptable to ask to view a room before you pay.

• Go to Google and type died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a hostel. Behold all the stories - from Florida, from Spain, from all over the world. Or go to carbonmonoxidekills.com. Learn how to stay safe in your accommodations in cold weather!

• Avoid sitting or walking in empty areas (empty train car or an empty street), no matter what time of day.

• When traveling alone, don't be the only woman in a train car. If you are on a bus, sit with a woman or a group of women, or near the driver.

• Don't assume men in uniform are automatically safer than men not in uniform.

• If you have to wait for a bus or a train alone, either find a group to stand near, or stand in a well-populated restaurant or business until it's almost time for the bus or train to arrive, or stand where a train station worker can see you. NEVER stand there alone listening to your MP3 player or radio or whatever in both ears, even in day time.

• Lock your car, lock your door, lock your bags, including your purse (except when you are checking in at the airport -- they will break your locks!).

• I keep my wallet in one of two places: when using my cloth briefcase from REI (which is too thick to be razor bladed open quickly from the bottom), I put my wallet in a compartment that I can zip, then put a flap over the compartment that can be fastened twice (so that you can't unzip it without unfastening and then flipping up the flap), then carry the bag so that the compartment is facing inward, up against my body. Or, I put my wallet around my neck and shoulder (the wallet has a strap) and cover it with a light long sleeve shirt or jacket, then walk in such a way that I can feel the wallet up against my side. I keep a few bills or coins in an easy-to-reach pocket, for train fare -- if that were to get lifted, it wouldn't be a huge loss. That means I have to spend a lot of time to reach my money -- and that further means I need to be in a safe place before fumbling for such (never on the street). Also, don't let your guard down regarding your wallet in restaurants or bars -- those are prime times for pickpockets, as you are much more relaxed than on the street.

• Favorite places to steal purses from travelers are in restaurants, bars, trains and buses. Favorite places to razor-blade purses or pick pockets are trains, buses and museums.

• Do not assume that your fellow travelers are trustworthy merely because they are also traveling, even if they are on the same tour group as you, are friends of friends, or they've seemed fine for the 48 hours you have known them. You are under no obligation to share a room, a car or a hike with anyone. When turning down an offer, just say, "I'd prefer not to, if that's okay." or even "No offense, but that would make me uncomfortable" or even just "No thanks." If someone gets overtly offended or starts to pressure you, it's all the more reason to NOT do whatever it was they were wanting you to do.

• By all means, talk to people -- talk to strangers! -- but know your boundaries, and don't ever be afraid of being impolite if you feel uncomfortable in any way. Never be afraid of being impolite if you feel that someone is stepping over your boundaries. Do not let ANYONE guilt you into doing something that makes you feel uncomfortable, whether it's coming into a shop or sharing a meal or walking down a side street or just simply talking to them. If someone calls your behavior insulting because you cut them off or walked away, too bad.

• Negative experiences with men can happen from any culture or nationality. Never assume someone is okay, or not okay, simply because of his ethnicity or religion or origins are the same as yours.

• Just because a person is a Westerner doesn't mean he or she is any more trustworthy than anyone else.

• Be assertive. Never say "maybe" for buying something, for sharing a meal, for meeting later, or any other invitation when what you mean is "no." If you need to cut someone off or walk away to get the point across, DO IT.

• Parking lots are, to me, more dangerous than anywhere, even in broad day light. Drivers are often more focused on finding a parking place than looking for pedestrians or other drivers. And people walking to and from their cars - especially women - are easy pickin's in airport parking lots, restaurant parking lots, tourist site parking lots, etc. People getting in or out of a car, or walking to their car, in any of those places, are favorite targets of robbers. When you park your car, scan the area. Look around your car. Do the same as you get out and walk. Do the same as you return to your car, noting if anyone is standing or walking near the car or near you. Walk in such a way that other people in the parking lot can see you. If it's night time, park near the entrance of wherever you are going, where others can see you getting out of your car. When returning to your car, carry a flashlight and use it as you are walking - and don't be shy about asking restaurant staff to watch you walk to your car. Load packages or luggage quickly, then get in and IMMEDIATELY lock the doors. Remember that your car horn and hazard lights are there for you to use in case of danger.

• Never invite a male who is not a close, trusted, long-time friend into your hotel room, including hotel employees and food delivery, no matter what country you are in (including the USA). If they absolutely need to come in, put away your valuables, leave the door open, and stand next to the open door, in control of it, or in the door way, while they do what they need to do and leave. Most USA hotel employees will completely understand this behavior. And don't write me and say, "I've NEVER done this, and I've been FINE!" Good for you. I have talked to two people who weren't so lucky - and it just takes once with the wrong person.

• When walking to your room in a hotel, look all around you. If there is someone close behind you as you approach your door, consider passing by your door, or turning around suddenly and walking back the way you came. If you feel threatened, YELL.

• Never walk alone at night unless there will be many other women walking around as well (and I don't mean hookers).
• Leave the revealing or super-tight outfits at home, unless you are absolutely certain it's the cultural norm for where you are going and you will be with very trustworthy people the entire time. What works in Florida is inappropriate in Egypt. When traveling, think carefully about exactly what kind of attention you want to attract. That is NOT to say that women who dress in a way that could be called provocative should in any way be blamed for something awful that happens to them - what's provocative to one person may be prudish to someone else, and no woman who is dressing to feel pretty, or even to feel sexy, should be branded as someone who is "asking for it." Just know that, if you are going to go shopping or to a club or walk on the street and you are going to wear something that shows your nipples or your thong or the tattoo on your butt crack, you can't act surprised if someone comments on it or be offended at the attention such attracts in a culture where that isn't the norm for women.

• On a train or a bus, if you are with a friend or friends, all but one of you can sleep -- one of you needs to stay awake and keep watch and NOT listen to his or her MP3 player. I've known two people who woke up on trains to find their wallets or a bag gone - or in the process of being taken (surprise!), and have heard of it happening even more to many people. If you are by yourself -- no sleeping, and no listening to your MP3 player unless you are absolutely certain you aren't going to miss something you need to hear (the announcement of the next stop, the sound of someone opening the door or sliding your bag away, someone begging for help behind you, etc.).

• And... and... I'm going to say it again... don't listen to your MP3 player when walking around outside, when you are alone in a strange building, while on mass transit in a strange country, etc. I use my iPod only on long rides where I don't need to hear anything (like the stops) and the passengers around me aren't going to change much during the ride, or where I know all the passengers around me. I also use it on planes. But that's it -- listening to what's around me is not only something that helps keep me safe, it's also one of the most fun parts of traveling.

• In developing countries in particular, when you need to ask for directions on the street, ask women, couples or old people, or go into a well-populated shop or restaurant and ask an employee. In France, I look for people who are obviously immigrants, because they seem to always be particularly happy to help someone who isn't French (not that they are anti-French, but that they seem to really understand your outsider feeling).

• When going hiking in an area where you feel like you might not be safe because you are on your own, consider hiking near a group of hikers - or even asking a group to look out for you. When we were in Jordan, a woman from Bolivia who was staying at our hotel and was touring the country on her own approached us and asked if she could hike with us the next day in Petra, because she was being harassed when she was on her own, and we were more than happy to have her along (it actually made the day even more fun). 
  

• I hate to say this, but I really do think, based on observation and conversations with others, that women who are blond and red-headed, regardless of their race, have more trouble in developing countries, or where the hair color of locals is mostly brown or black. So think about ways to be inconspicuous despite your hair color (hats and bandanas are good). Yes, I know there are some of you out there who have had no problem - good for you - please respect that others have. In addition, women of African descent can be subjected to especially intense or increased harassment from men in countries where there are few people of African descent, such as countries in Asia and the Middle East - a friend from Kenya told me some of the things men had said to her out of the blue while traveling - shop keepers, travel agents, drivers - and I was stunned and saddened for her, as she has to always deal with this, sometimes every day - but, still, she travels.
  

• As a person from the USA, people in developing countries will assume that you are rich (and you are in comparison!). Don't wear anything that affirms your economic level if at all possible.

• It's up to you on how you deal with "cat-calling." I ignore it on the rare occasion it happens. You would think it's something a woman pushing 50 would have to worry about. You would be wrong. If I felt threatened by it, I wouldn't hesitate to talk to a police officer about it (I'm scary when I'm demanding). 

• Read through the crime section of the US Department of State's Travel.State.Gov page for Italy and the crime section for India. Together, these pages provide a good summation of the worst crimes that a US traveler needs to work to prevent in MANY different countries. They can also scare you so much that you decide not to go - and I hope they don't do that.

There are plenty of places online that talk about staying safe while camping in regards to bear safety, flood safety, insect bites, first aid, etc. But what about safety specifically with regards to being a woman?

There is a perception that camping in a remote area makes you more vulnerable to crime than staying in a hotel. I disagree - if no one knows you are in a remote area, and it's not likely you are going to be found, you aren't going to be targeted as a crime victim in a remote area.

Are you, as a woman, more or less vulnerable to robbery - or worse - while camping than while staying in a hotel? I don't think so. I cannot find statistics anywhere on the matter. Using Google I can find far more stories of women being assaulted and/or robbed within hotel grounds - even within their own rooms - than camping. In 2012, I went to Google and typed in robbed while camping (no quotes), and the stories that came up were pretty scary - but many months and years apart, and never for the same area (often not in the same country), so relatively speaking, it seems to be rare. A Google search in 2012 of raped while camping and raped camp ground brought up scary stories but, again, all months or years apart and in different countries - again, it seems to be quite a rare occurrence. In 2013, a Swiss woman on a cycling trip with her husband in central India was gang-raped by local men as the couple camped out in a forest in Madhya Pradesh state after bicycling from the temple town of Orchha - I would guess they knew of other bike travelers who camped there previously and had no problems at all, hence why they thought they would be safe; you can easily find information about this online, as well as some horrific comments that blame the couple for what happened (apparently it happened because they were in a remote area, NOT because a group of men decided to assault them).

I've been way more wary of some of the hotels I've had to stay in than when I've been tent camping. I've been much more scared of critters than people while camping. But I also haven't really camped entirely alone; I've had my dogs or my husband with me. But would my husband or my dogs really make a difference if someone really wanted to target me for a crime? I don't know. What I do know is that, even with the very few, though horrific, stories of people being assaulted or robbed while camping, there are many, many, many more news stories of women being robbed, assaulted and killed in their own homes or in parking lots than while camping.

So, with all that in mind, here's some tent camping safety tips for women:

• When you walk into the bathroom or shower, make sure no one is following you, and check to see if anyone is in or around the facility. Could people hear you if you yelled for help in the shower or bathroom? This is not just a nighttime precaution.

• Sorry to be stereotypical, but I avoid drunk men, young or old, while camping. I don't talk to them and I camp near other people if such are present.

• I'm not sure if this is a good strategy, but when I'm alone, I like to camp (and befriend) couples - gay or straight, men or female, doesn't matter. I have no idea if that makes me safer, but it makes me feel safer.

• If camping in a camp ground, choose a camp site that is away from roads; people who rob or victimize campers want a quick hit and getaway.

• You are probably safer at a camp site with other campers than if you are the only person camping at a site - don't camp so far away from other campers that they couldn't hear you yell for help. If you come to a remote camp site and the only other campers are one group of men, move on - they may be the nicest folks ever, but there's just no way for you to know for sure. If you will be the only person in a camp site - one without even a camp host - you might want to reconsider camping there at all; camping rough, completely hidden from all road and foot traffic, might be a better option.

• Inside the tent, don't put clothes or items up against the side of your tent, where it would be easy for someone to slash the sides of your tent and make a quick grab; by the time you wake up, the perp has jumped in a car and is driving away. It rarely happens - it's never happened to me, and I've never known anyone it's happened to - but it does happen, as a search of Google will tell you.

• Keep valuables on your person, even when you go to the bathroom. Other campers aren't automatically trust worthy just because they are camping.

WOMEN'S SAFETY TRAVELING ABROAD

Regarding traveling abroad, specifically: Women from the USA are capable, independent, and grew up in a country where, for the MOST part, it is our right to do anything that a man can do and go anywhere that a man can go. Unfortunately, this is not how it is in many other countries. Other cultures may see this capable, independent attitude and lifestyle as "loose" sexually. This opinion is created/reinforced by television shows and films from the USA. Hence why extra precautions and a curtailing of your actions are sometimes necessary, however annoying that might (and often does) feel.

But also note that, in some cultures, being a woman may be to your advantage: you might have access to women's society and friendship that is denied to men in certain cultures, for example. You can be super friendly to women you encounter in shops or restaurants and not have to worry about your actions being misinterpreted. Or some men may be especially protective of you if you are their customer (and particularly if you are modestly dressed and making an effort to be respectful of their culture), and that may pay off in a situation where other men are being threatening or just creepy.

The most important thing is to read as much as you can about a country or culture before you go to a particular country -- and seek out women authors as much as possible, because men can sometimes gloss over cultural concerns that women need to be very aware of. Become aware of cultural differences, specifically that pertain to attitudes toward women (and American women). Lonely Planet books offers tips specifically for women, tailored for each country, and I have found the books very helpful specifically regarding their advice for women.

One other thing: Know how the phones work in whatever country you are in, and consider buying a phone card so you can make any local or international call you may need to at any time.

SAFETY AT BARS & PUBS

And then there's going to bars. I went to a bar in the middle of the day in Madrid, by myself, for a pint of Guinness and had a wonderful afternoon chatting with the women that worked there. But that's just not possible everywhere. And even if you are with friends, you are incurring risk, per the now rampant use of date-rape drugs. So, especially for bars, here are some tips:

• When in doubt about your safety at a bar, DON'T GO, or LEAVE if you are already there.

• Lonely Planet guides usually say point blank if it's appropriate for women to go to bars in a particular country. Follow its advice!

• When you first walk into the bar, don't look for a place to sit -- look to see if there are women there, either as customers or serving. If there aren't, consider whether or not this is a good place to hang out.

• Get your drinks directly from the waiter or bartender -- preferably, a waitress or barmaid.

• Do NOT accept a drink handed to you from someone else, even a friend of a friend, or someone buying you a drink - get your drink directly from bar staff only. If your refusal of such a drink is taken as an insult, too bad -- that person should know better. Don't write me and tell me about the hundreds of times you have accepted a drink from a stranger and been just fine - again, I know two people who were bought and brought drinks by very nice guys - and the drinks were spiked (thankfully, their girlfriends got them out of the situation).

• If you go to a bar with others, agree on an easy-to-remember, no-questions-asked safety word, to be used if you believe you need to make a quick exit out of fear of your safety, and you think being blunt about leaving could make you more vulnerable. It could be anything: "Doesn't this place remind you of Springfield?" or "This reminds me of the scene in that George Clooney movie." Say the phrase a lot together back in your hotel room. Laugh about it. Joke about. But know it when you hear it from a fellow traveler.

• If you feel that you are in a country where you can safely go to a bar alone, then go only early in the evening, and leave before it gets the least-bit late. Take a book to read, even if there's a game on the TV you want to watch (in which case, read it during commercials). Having a book is a statement that you aren't interested in being picked up, and a good buffer against creeps. FORGET THE MP3 PLAYER. It cuts off your awareness of your surroundings in such a situation, and you just cannot afford that. Your purse should be on your body at all times, never hanging on a chair or placed on the floor between your feet.

• Remember the line you've read so many times: "He seemed like such a nice normal guy, he was a friend of my friend there, he'd been so nice for the days he hung out with us, I can't believe he did this," etc. How nice a guy looks or acts is absolutely no indication of how things will turn out.

Before your trip, think about what you would do if you were robbed - or worse. Imagine the plan: whom you would call (police, credit card companies, family, embassy, etc.), where you would go immediately, how you would get home quickly, etc. Imagine the plan in your mind - and may you never have to follow that plan.

Another site's information on safety for women traveling abroad

Did I scare you? I really hope not. I've followed my own advice, and it has not kept me from walking on a beautiful boulevard at night, or going out to eat and having a beer by myself, or talking to strangers, or wearing something that makes me feel beautiful, and it shouldn't keep you from doing those things altogether either. The reality is that you could follow all of this advice - and be even more restrictive in your behavior - and you could still end up being the target of a bad person, for robbery or something much worse. I'm not a blame-the-victim person, and if you are robbed - or worse - call the police (and if you are abroad, your embassy), and do not let a feeling of guilt or a feeling that it is somehow you're fault (because it is NOT your fault) keep you from seeking help.

And with all that said: please don't let concerns about safety keep you from traveling.

 
Disclaimer
Any activity incurs risk. The author assumes no responsibility for the use of information contained within this document.

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