Absolutely true. I’ve never reported to police any sexual assault against me.
Perhaps you truly have never worked in a place where women are not excluded or treated differently, but then again, unless you see the payroll data how can you know for sure?
As to the safe space for white men…I realize you are from Canada, but many of US women are now cringing every time we see a white man in a polo shirt. White men have all the power here, although most feel they don’t.
I’m not saying you are like those men…just saying, that women have, even if you don’t think it exists in your workplace environments, been facing intrusion into their ‘space’ from a very young age…the innuendo, catcalls that assail women even when we are just doing things like walking to school is a very form of aggression and serves a foundation for women to be proactively safety minded.
I think @Helsi understands a bigger worldview. Not everything is about the host - sometimes guests have different needs/requirements. Many cultures of the world, whether it be faith-based or simply cultural, would choose same-gender accommodations in a shared living scenario. I own a triplex building near a university with shared housing. Four of the six tenants (all from the Middle East) specifically inquired whether or not the units were mixed gender. Their religion would not allow them, as unmarried young men, to share quarters with unmarried women.
I do believe the OP has an interesting business concept and wish them well.
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How about all the sexual harassment at FOX tv. White men fired! Sad to say it’s still going on.
I’m 100% certain that if you spoke with the women in your workplaces they would tell you that they’ve been excluded or treated differently because of their sex.
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It is not my ‘lived’ experience that affects my views. These are just a couple of experiences. I have hundreds more. It is a fact - whether in developing countries or not that sexism in the workplace is very much prevalent. There is so much data, evidence and research on this. It would be extraordinary for people to be unaware that sexism in the workplace is very much alive and kicking.
Unfortunately I very much doubt that you have ‘never worked in a workplace were women were excluded or treated differently’ you just haven’t noticed it because it wasn’t aimed at, or affected you.
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Completely agree. Separation is not the answer. There was a recent debate in the UK about having women-only carriages on trains because of sexual assaults. It got short shrift. It’s gender apartheid, essentially, which will only perpetuate things. A woman who stays with a male host and is sexually assaulted will be deemed “asking for it” because she didn’t “play safe”.
I too have a son who is the sweetest, most gentle young man ever. I am offended (understatement) on his behalf when he is assumed automatically to be a potential rapist. How dare you! If you are afraid to travel on your own, stay at home.
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This is a very good point, I hadn’t thought of it in that way.
I would add though that I may make use of such services if I were to visit certain cultures, such as Saudi Arabia (I probably wouldn’t though). As you can’t change a whole country’s views on women, sadly
I have a feeling White Makes will be the last group to be pandered to.
Obviously there a re a number of sites that have sought to segmentise the market, i just wonder how practical this is, how many Women for example would want to just look for Hosts meeting these requirements, how many will list on such a site, how many Hosts would want to restrict their business in such a way?
White males have a long history of being pandered to.
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Indeed they do and that is why, in my opinion, it is crucial that we do not perpetuate the idea that it is inevitable, and by extension acceptable, that men are inherently violent and sexual predators. My son is a good person. He is male and he is white. I find it deeply abhorrent that he is automatically targeted as a potential danger.
So @Maxine_Outerbridge, I am not only uninterested in your venture but vehemently opposed to it. It is sexist, counter-productive, redactive and all-round ridiculous. If you want to do something positive for women, get involved in some REAL action to change lives. It is a PRIVILEGE to travel for pleasure. Such people do not need any more safety and cosseting, they have enough of that,
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I’m a woman who has travelled solo for many years. In that time, I’ve shared dorm rooms with men and women. I’ve stayed with male hosts, gay hosts, transgender and hippie hosts. Creating segregated accommodation alternatives won’t protect you from whatever. You need to travel smart, be confident, don’t take too much luggage, so you can move easily. Dress sensibly, tube tops and micro shorts may be acceptable in some areas, but other countries have a more modest dress code. Don’t anyone jump on me for “shaming” , women’s rights to wear whatever they want. The reality is that in some countries wearing revealing clothing isn’t acceptable and can make you a target for unwanted attention.
Travel smartly in that you have researched your route, don’t travel in dark places or late at night.
After saying that. I arrived in Tel Aviv at 10 pm, and had to walk down a dark road to the hostel. I wasnt very happy about it, but I had no choice as that was the only flight. I was more stressed being driven in a taxi in th emiddle of the day, when the driver didn’t like that I was staying in a hotel run by Palestinian’s.
The only time I’ve been assaulted was at the photocopier in a Toronto library.
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There is no piece of clothing that takes away your right to dominion of your own body.
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True. However, that’s not how life works.
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No, it’s not. There is no correlation between dress and sexual assault. Sexual assault is a huge problem in India. Even if there was a correlation, it’s wrong to blame the victim. When people get robbed do we tell them that it’s their fault for having things other people can’t afford?
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i traveled internationally on my own in my 30s (when I could finally afford it!) and I consider myself extremely lucky to have gotten out of a few scenarios without being raped by random men either following me or who just knew I was staying in a hotel or an apt alone. (In 2 of the situations, the men worked near my accommodations). Like others have stated, men all over the world often make assumptions about what an “American female tourist is looking for” if she travels alone and this was so blatantly obvious that I never even considered socializing with men at all when traveling solo.
I would have loved to have an informed host to message in those instances to help negotiate those situations (even though I was renting entire apts, not sharing.) This is a totally sensible idea.
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I’m not blaming the victim. I’m suggesting strategies. If someone walked around with a fat wallet in their back pocket, it’s an invitation to have it stolen. So, yes they have the right to do that, it’s just not the best way to protect your wallet.
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Staying with a female host doesn’t make you safe when you are not inside. It’s more important for women to learn how to be street smart while travelling.
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Yes, I’m thinking of a specific situation where I would have loved to write to a host, “The newspaper stand on the corner – there’s a younger man who hangs around with the owner, and he’s been following me/“walking me” back to the apt. Do you know him – I’m not sure whether he’s trying to be helpful or if I should be concerned”.
The difference here is if someone wrote this to my husband, he would have absolutely no idea and he’s fairly oblivious to who the creepy guys are in our neighborhood while I have categories of friendly/creepy harmless/creepy harmless if not drunk/cross street if you see him coming, etc.
Hi @Magwitch
Very rarely do I disagree with you but on this occasion do.
As you know, I have a ‘white’ looking son, of a similar age to yours who I would describe in a similar way. Except he’s not necessarily sweet all the time and can be grumpy so and so.
I don’t think that having a service that supports women who for cultural, religious or safety reasons may prefer to stay with a female host, will target the vast majority of women who don’t want to do this, or assumes that all men are rapists. Any more than having a service for BAME guests assumes all other hosts are inherently racist, or having a service for gay men (mostly) I think it is, assumes that all others hosts are homophobic.
Of course it doesn’t make women safer traveling outside of their accommodation, but hopefully women hosts who sign up to such a service would help travellers understand do and don’t in their area. As others have mentioned there are some ways of dressing, or area, or social habits that aren’t acceptable/riskier when travelling.
I don’t know whether it is a concept which I would support as the OP hasn’t come back and answered key questions about the service or linked us to the app.
But in principle I am not against market segmentation in tourism or elsewhere.
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