Why are women shamed for travelling solo?

Why solo travel?

Many people have dreams of backpacking across Europe, walking through quaint cottages, meeting with the local people, learning their languages, taking solo walks on the sidewalks overlooking flowing streams and all the great activities they can do on these trips - they don’t mind doing it alone.

Solo travel or travelling alone can be life-changing even though tumultuous experiences. Read about the challenges here.

Here is why this conversation is important

Many women have been raped and killed by locals when travelling alone. Just this year, a Nigerian woman spoke about how she was almost raped by a staff of the hotel she was lodged in Zanzibar.

Yet, victim blaming is prevalent, with many people saying that women should not be allowed to solo travel - for no other reason than they are women and it is unsafe for them.

Even though it behoves women to stay away from dangerous countries and to protect themselves, it’s sad that their gender is what stands between them and experiencing what they truly want.

But more than the obvious advice, to stay at home, women are slut shamed for even travelling because how else would she earn the money to travel if a man isn’t paying for it? With news of women excreting for men’s amusement in Dubai for free all-expense paid trips, it is not surprising that women are so accused.

Recently, a young popular Twitter personality was asked how she got the money to travel to as many countries as she has without a rich man supporting her. It’s almost inconceivable, to some people that a woman can be wealthy without a man supporting her.

However, the most troubling accusation came from an American Comedian, Lil Duval, who said that he is convinced women who travel solo are like trains being run on them.

A train means a woman having sex with more than one man at a time, meaning that women only travel alone so they can engage in sexual activities with strangers.

The supposed fragility of a woman can be so suffocating and restrictive. Yet, so much accusation and forced chastity and appearance of holiness are forced down their throats, they are not allowed to just be and live their lives the way they want.