I’m sorry, I only skimmed the (long) article but it seems that the writer wasn’t actually sexually assaulted. (Correct me if I’m wrong). But wasn’t she just hit on? What does that have to do with Airbnb?
This seems like yet another writer who wants to get exposure by writing about Airbnb. Was it Airbnb’s fault? No, they are just an advertising platform. But write about Airbnb and you’re bound to get hits.
What she described could have happened in any hotel or rental. Way back in the eighties I was sexually assaulted (physically not just hit upon) in a hotel in Europe. That wasn’t the hotel’s fault. Just like in this case. It had nothing to do with Airbnb - it could have been a private listing advertised elsewhere.
I’m just a bit fed up of everything being the fault of Airbnb!
I wish she had just left when he started doing this… but instead she stayed for the entire time? Non sensical!
I did read her article and while sympathising to some extent as no one should feel pressured while staying in someone’s place I just wondered what made her chose to stay in a place where she didn’t have a private room?
Can happen in any country .
I hope she had report the host to police.
Well said jaquo. The blame game oftentimes comes across as trying to establish the premise AirBnB is responsible for all the ills of the world and the failings of human nature.
Hi @jaquo,
Agreed. That’s what I thought. The “perpetrator”, it seemed, was harassing her. That does not normally constitute sexual assault. It’s not clear from the article, but it’s possible he did not actually touch her, and that the harassment was purely verbal harassment. At one point she says “despite there was not physical force or violence happened”. That’s ambiguous, of course. Touching isn’t physical force or violence.
Needless to say, the guy sounds like a creep, and richly deserves to have his account cancelled, and I hope he never hosts again. He’s the sort of person who gives Airbnb hosting a bad name. One thing I don’t understand is why the writer didn’t simply contact Airbnb and walk out when this started happening. I would have. Did I miss something?
Oh, and it has to do with Airbnb because the guy was an Airbnb host. Though no longer, if I understand correctly.
I agree. in this case best to contact Air BNB and leave.
That was my first thought: so what it was a middle of the night? I would just call uber and left, and go to hotel. But i would never under no circumstances stayed with a creep she describes.
1 - Who signs up to share a bedroom with a host?
2 - Why stay when things turn south?
3 - The same standard applies when hosting. If you’re hosting someone who makes you feel threatened or uncomfortable kick them out.
Its called “shared room”
I know the category, but who actually signs up for this activity?
It should be called “shared host”.
I guess it can work if it’s male sleeping at male host place or girls sleeping at a girl host but mix it’s a risk I think
I think sharing a room with a stranger is always risky. It’s done, of course. For example in US colleges it’s quite common to have shared rooms. And it’s also very common in crowded Third World cities where space is scarce. But in my opinion it is never a good idea. Hostel type setups where there are a bunch of people in a room is a little different - that’s a semi-public situation.
I guess it exists for a reason. I am thinking, very young, or very poor.
Maybe they originally meant that the space would be shared by more than one guest and not the host such as a large bedroom with several beds, dorm style. But now that I ponder it, it is kind of weird. Maybe sleeping on a sofa in the common area denotes a shared space.
That’s missing a close bracket, I think…
Thanks Faheem, used to write html code for websites so I fixed it, I didn’t forget how, lol
I’m guessing it is a relic of the original concept of the air mattress in a living room, etc.
It may also make sense for a room with multiple beds, but to share a bedroom with a host is beyond comprehension.