How to Stay Safe Over a Vacation
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Incident: I am currently on Spring Break and I went away three days with a friend to a beach resort. Out of those three days, there had to have been over 30 guys that came off as creepy to me, no doubt about it. Now, don’t get me wrong, I could be overreacting by saying that. But the fact that they were creepy and all of them talked to us and a few of them tried to get personal information out of us and follow us back to where we were staying was one thing. Now, these men were older than me, about in their thirties and forties, were alone and just seemed like they were out of it by standing in a corner looking around, having that creepy eye stare going on, sitting at a table alone, and all of them were very, very quiet. And it’s not like me and one of my girlfriends that went on the trip with me were walking around in a skimpy bathing suit all day, we had tee-shirts on when we were walking around so our shoulders wouldn’t get burnt and cargo shorts to our knees most of the day. To say the least, my friend and myself were so nervous about the reoccurring incidents that we decided to tell the lady running the hotel that if anyone said they wanted to see us, to not let them in. Then again, we are two teenage girls at a hotel room near a beach resort, without any guys, which now that I think of it was probably a big mistake.
Now, where am I getting with this? I want to ask some questions for those of you who could understand this type of situation better than me if that’s alright (leave in a comment if you wish, I’d love to hear them all).
I would also like to add in the rest of this Hub tips on how women of all ages could stay safe and look out for warnings such as these. Yes, I know I am younger than most of you (still being in high school) and you may even think that because of my young age, I know nothing (which some people try to tell me). But being in this situation this week, I feel that I need to get my point across and help those who could need it.
Questions for you to ponder, I’d really like to know your thoughts:
1) Would you be scared if this happened to you or your child or even a family member or a close relative? Am I overreacting?
2) Why are older men attracted to younger women now these days (and older I mean by about 20 or so years)? Is it because they need to have the new and hottest thing? Has it always been this way and I am just noticing this now?
3) It seems to me that people’s morals are going down the drain when they think of sex outside of a marriage and even outside of a relationship, why is this? Why do certain people feel they need to have sex with anyone they can get and cheat on their partner?
If you have any other thoughts, please let me know.
Tips to stay safe, based upon my research (feel free to share these with anyone you know who may need it):
· Never leave anywhere with someone you have just met.
· Don’t travel alone, if you can help it.
· If you feel someone is following you, go where there is a lot of people. DO NOT go to your home or hotel room.
· Be cautious in stairwells and elevators.
· Don’t tell anyone what hotel you are staying at and don’t give out personal information.
· Have a designated driver if you are out, alternate who will be the sober one every day.
· Don’t drink and drive—always have someone sober to drive you and don’t be in a car with someone who has been drinking.
· Leave your number with a friend who is back at home or a family member. Call them to check in once a day so they can tell if something happened or not.
· Never put your drink down or unattended, even if it is with a friend. Anyone can slip a date rape drug into your drink, which puts you in an immediate state of amnesia, so you can’t remember anything that happens.
· The most successful sexual predators are not dressed as we would picture: they are not all greasy men wearing trench coats.
· A few drinks can make you do anything, even leave a bar with someone you don’t know.
· Learn about the place you are visiting and what parts of town aren’t the best.
· Learn the laws of the place you are visiting.
· Don’t travel with excessive amounts of money or jewelry.
· When going to the beach or a pool, leave anything you don’t want to be stolen, in the hotel in the safe deposit box.
· Never open your hotel room door to anyone you don’t know.
· Make sure the lock and dead bolt on your hotel door is in working order.
· Don’t invite anyone back to your hotel room.
If you have any tips to add to these, please feel free to let me know in a comment and I will update this Hub with your tips. J
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Thanks mentalist!
Excellent recommendations. Thank you.
Forever His,
This is a very important, well written hub with very real concerns. The guys were creeps and there are a lot of them out there. They think with their other brain. They want younger girls for sex and the most important thing you did was to be alert. Some young girls think this attention is flattering, but they are not looking at you because they want an intellectual conversation.
Yes, I would be concerned if it was my daughter or relative. Not being alone is important in a strange place. You listed a wonderful set of guidelines and I hope other young girls will read them and benefit. Another thing you might add is to have your keys out of your purse when you come out of a store and lock the car doors immediately when you get in. If there is a paper on the windshield ignore it for the time being until you are in another location.
I think it is great when women take self defense classes as there are some effective ways that are not that difficult to get away from someone if you are attacked.
Very smart hub that makes good sense.
Great tips jess, and a well written hub. I agree with every tip except number 2 - don't travel alone if you can help it. I'm a female who has travelled all over the world alone and, although I have of course encountered a few 'creepy guys' I have also made wonderful friends of all ages and from all backgrounds, many of whom were also travelling alone. Having said that I was about 20 the first time I travelled alone and 24 or 25 by the time I set off my big year long round the world trip. As a teenager I travelled with organized groups through my school and with volunteer organizations, which was also a fantastic esperience. You've come up with great tips that I think would help keep anyone, alone or with friends, safe while they travel.
I think you are wise beyond your years Jess and well educated. You remind me of myself a bit. Was kind of like you as a teen. Or maybe I just had an awesome guardian Angel I dunno.
Thanks for all of the comments. :) Thanks RevLady! Thanks for all of your input Pamela, I appreciate it. Thanks pop! Karen, maybe I should change #2 to be if you are my age haha first writing that, I thought it sounded a little weird. And you do have a point, many of people travel by themselves and are just fine, like you and my grandmother for example. Thanks again. Thanks Janny. :)
Mentalist acer Level 6 Commenter 2 years ago
Good Thinking!