30 Essential Female Safety Tips for Solo Female Travelers – How to Stay Safe
Female safety tips are necessary because of the presence of men and patriarchal societies. Existing in the world as a woman means we have to take more precautions and be constantly aware of our surroundings in order to stay safe. Statistically speaking, women are more likely to be victims of crimes perpetrated by men, and that’s just a fact.
However, don’t let the fear (and presence) of men deter you from enjoying the incredible benefits of solo travel around the world.
In all my travels and in every country I’ve ever been to (safest countries for solo female travel), the vast majority of people who approached me were men. Whether it was to get me into their store, offer me a ride, strike up a conversation (that more often than not led to being hit on), or anything else, it was almost always a man.
I basically wrote a short novel when I created the The Ultimate Guide to Solo Female Travel, which is a basically a How-To manual for being a solo female traveler. It provides a wealth of information from planning a trip, health and safety, menstruation, dating, insurance, post-travel reflection, and much, much more.
As a woman, especially as a solo female traveler, here’s how I keep myself safe in every place around the world, including my home country (USA):
Table of Contents
- “Common Sense” Female Safety Tips
- Female Safety Tips for Solo Travelers
- How to Deal with Men who Approach You
- Digital Safety for Solo Female Travelers
- Psychological and Emotional Impacts of the Female Experience
- Societal Changes to Reduce the Need for Precautions
- Additional Solo Female Travel Resources
“Common Sense” Female Safety Tips
When people say “use common sense”, these are the female safety tips they are referring to. These are the subtle behaviors that most people don’t notice or don’t even realize they already do.
The only reason these are considered “common sense” is because the abhorrent behavior of men has been normalized. Women should absolutely be able to go out at night. Women should not have to constantly worry about men not taking no for an answer. We should not have to constantly try to avoid being the victim of a crime. And we certainly shouldn’t be blamed for a man’s behavior. Fucking EVER.
These behavior modifications (because that’s what they are) are the female safety tips that basically all women do on a daily basis to keep themselves safe:
- Don’t go out at night.
- Certainly don’t get drunk in a bar by yourself, and try to avoid going to bars alone in general.
- Avoid eye contact longer than one second with any man you don’t want to have a conversation with. Sad but true. Smh.
- Be aware of anyone following you, especially if you’re going home. Be aware if anyone watches you walk up to your building or door.
- Cross the street to the other sidewalk to avoid passing by people. Especially if you’re walking alone. Especially at night.
- Use personal safety apps, such as those that allow friends or family to track your location or alert authorities in emergencies.
- Identify Safe Spaces when you are walking alone, such as nearby shops, restaurants, or public buildings where you can get help if you need it.
- Carry your keys as weapons (between the fingers) while walking to the car or home, especially in poorly lit or isolated areas.
- Try to look masculine – If you can, tuck your hair in your sweatshirt and put your hood up. Oversized clothing will help conceal your body making it look more ambiguous. Men might not try to approach/stalk/target someone who may or may not be a man.
- Walk at a confident and steady pace. Do not look lost, confused, or inebriated.
- Vary Your Route/ Routine: Avoid walking home the same way every day. Change up your daily patterns/ routines such as running routes or times for leaving and returning home.
- Carry a personal defense weapon, such as pepper spray, whistle, or something that emits a loud sound to attract attention in threatening situations.
- Headphones: Depending on the safety of the area, headphones can be a good idea or a bad idea. They are great if the main threat is men approaching to hit on you in daylight. You can tune them out and not respond (because you didn’t hear them!). However, do not wear headphones at night, because you need to be able to hear if someone is sneaking up on you or following you.
- Avoid Isolated Areas: Generally speaking, walking in well-lit, populated areas reduces the risk of encountering dangerous situations. However, I was attacked by a man with a knife in a busy park in broad daylight. The threat isn’t the absence of people, it’s the presence of men.
- Trust your instincts. If a situation or person feels off, it’s essential to trust those feelings and take action, whether that means changing your route, ending a conversation, or seeking help.
Female Safety Tips for Solo Travelers
Check out Honest Safety Tips for Solo Female Travelers: How to Stay Safe for more information about safety information specific to international travel.
- Arrive during daylight. This makes navigating a foreign place easier and safer. Plus, you might have to get a local SIM card or go to the ATM, and you don’t want to be running errands at night.
- Ask your host/ hotel about the safety of the area. Ask detailed questions about where to go, what times it’s safe, and things to look out for.
- *Tip: ask women, not men. Men usually have no clue what it’s like for a woman to exist in the same place. They might tell you it’s fine because because they aren’t used to getting catcalled, harassed, and followed.
- Tell your host or hotel employee about any suspicious behavior or people you encounter. They can give you cultural context or information about staying safe.
- Use Transportation Wisely: Only use reputable taxis or rideshare services and avoid poorly lit or desolate bus stops.
- Ask the Tourist Information desk at the airport or train station about the safety of available transportation options, especially taxis.
- Before entering a car or taxi, verify the driver’s identity/credentials and ensure the vehicle matches the rideshare details.
- Carry cash/ cards in multiple locations such as different pockets in different bags or a hidden money belt, to avoid losing all funds in case of theft.
- Know the local emergency number: In case you need to call the police, it is helpful to not have to Google the number first, especially if time is of the essence. I am grateful that a stranger called the police for me when I was attacked by a man with a knife in Albania (read the full story here). I learned that Albania has a different number to call for police, ambulance, and fire, whereas in the US there’s just one number.
How to Deal with Men who Approach You
- Remember that most likely, no one has any reason to talk to you. If someone stops and tries to talk to you, you can just keep walking. There’s no rule that says you HAVE to stop and talk to people.
- Speak assertively and set clear boundaries. NO I don’t want your number, and NO I don’t want to give you mine, and NO I don’t want to meet you nowhere, and NO I don’t want none of your time!
- Limit personal information you share with strangers, especially people (men) that approach you on the street or in public. Don’t tell them where you are staying. Don’t tell men you are alone- make up a lie about your friend running late if you have to. Sometimes, I will make up an entirely fake persona – I’ll give them a fake name and create a fake story. They are not entitled to any information about me, and sometimes being that direct about it can make men become aggressive. It is easier and safer to lie and get out of there.
- Be weird. If they won’t leave you alone and you feel like you are running out of options, try to scare them away by being batshit insane. Make crazy noises, walk weird, say strange things, make them think you are having a psychotic episode. Do not hold back, go for the gold.
Digital Safety for Solo Female Travelers
The internet is filled with creeps. As a woman, these creeps can be violent or dangerous rather than just annoying.
- Block whoever you want. Don’t worry about what they will will think or if it will hurt their feelings. If they are harassing you, being rude or mean, or giving you the ick, block them. You don’t need that in your life! Boundaries, baby!
- Do not post your location in real time (especially on social media). Sharing real-time updates about your location or routines can make it easy for people to track you and go where you are.
- Use real-time location-sharing to make sure at lease one person (close friend or family) has your location at all times. This will ensure someone knows your location if something goes wrong and the police need to know where to start looking. Or if you need someone to come get you but you don’t know exactly where you are.
By incorporating these strategies into our daily routines, women can enhance their personal safety while also navigating the world with greater confidence and peace of mind.
These female safety tips are practical measures that can significantly enhance personal safety for women in various everyday situations and while traveling. Customizing these strategies based on specific environments and personal comfort levels is essential for effective risk management.
Psychological and Emotional Impacts of the Female Experience
Having to constantly practice female safety tips and thus live with a heightened sense of vigilance can have significant and multifaceted psychological and emotional impacts. Constantly being on guard can lead to anxiety and stress. It’s a burden many women bear silently, impacting their mental well-being and freedom to move about without fear.
- Chronic Stress and Anxiety: The constant awareness of potential threats and the need to stay vigilant can lead to high levels of chronic stress and anxiety. This state of hyper-vigilance can strain mental health and contribute to feelings of unease and fear.
- Reduced Sense of Autonomy: The need to navigate societal expectations and safety concerns can limit personal freedom and autonomy. Women might feel constrained in their choices, both in public and private spaces, impacting their ability to fully express themselves and pursue their goals.
- Emotional Exhaustion: The emotional labor required to manage safety and navigate a patriarchal society can be draining. This might include constantly assessing risks, adjusting behavior, and dealing with the emotional toll of potential or actual harassment and discrimination.
- Internalized Misogyny: The constant pressure to shrink and morph into a palatable and tiny speck can lead to internalized misogyny, where women might question their worth or feel diminished by societal expectations. This can negatively affect self-esteem and self-worth. The unfortunate truth is that a lot of women will then put these expectations onto other women. Don’t be a foot soldier for the patriarchy.
- Isolation and Loneliness: Women experience feelings of isolation if they feel unable to openly discuss their concerns or if they face judgment for expressing their experiences. This can be exacerbated by societal stigmas around discussing harassment or violence. As an act of rebellion, I make it a point to tell men about my experiences as a woman.
- Impact on Professional Life: In professional settings, women face additional stress due to gender discrimination and the need to constantly prove themselves. This often lead to a slew of issues, some of which are burnout and hinder career advancement. If you are experiencing this now, this is your sign to hire an employment lawyer.
Societal Changes to Reduce the Need for Precautions
To reduce the need for female safety tips and all the precautions listed above, societal changes are necessary. This includes promoting gender equality, increasing awareness about women’s issues, and fostering a community culture where everyone looks out for one another, and no one feels entitled to someone else’s body.
To create a society where women feel safe and empowered to exist on equal terms with men, significant and systemic changes are needed across various levels. Here are key societal changes that could help achieve this:
- Challenging Gender Norms and Stereotypes: A lot of women are already doing this, and it’s great. This includes promoting diverse representations of women in media, education, and workplaces, and encouraging narratives that value women beyond traditional roles and their ~*appearance*~.
- Promoting Gender Equality in Everyday Life: Normalizing gender equality in all aspects of daily life, from shared household responsibilities to equitable decision-making, helps to reduce the burden on women and challenge patriarchal norms.
- Education on Gender Equality: Kids (both boys and girls) should learn about respect and equality. This includes sex education that covers topics like consent, healthy relationships, and emotional intelligence.
- Enforcing stricter laws against harassment, assault, and discrimination, with robust mechanisms for reporting and prosecuting offenders, is crucial. This includes workplace harassment and gender discrimination laws, domestic violence protection, and stronger penalties for perpetrators (remember how Brock Turner only served THREE months for three counts of felony sexual assault….)
- Ultimately, dismantling the patriarchal systems that underpin gender inequality is necessary. This means critically examining and reforming the structures, institutions, and practices that uphold patriarchal norms.
By implementing these changes, societies can work toward creating an environment where women feel safe, respected, and are valued on an equal footing with men. As it fucking should be.
However, don’t let the fear (and presence) of men deter you from enjoying the incredible benefits of solo travel around the world. There’s a lot to do and see, and withering away in one little corner of the world will do nothing to enrich your life or change the world. If you need more motivation, here are my favorite Solo Travel Quotes That Will Inspire Adventure Alone!
