From road trips to flights, Abigail Howard has traveled solo across the United States and even internationally to places like Tijuana, Mexico, and major European cities. Howard embraces a mindset of never saying “no,” but she often has to second-guess herself due to the fear of traveling alone as a woman.

Howard, a Florida Atlantic University alumna, says traveling solo offers the freedom to spend time alone and push beyond one’s comfort zone. However, it also requires staying highly alert to safety risks. Howard has experienced some of these risks firsthand, particularly the challenges women face when traveling alone, such as gender-based violence and harassment. She adds that independent female travelers often need to look over their shoulder for threats constantly.

According to the “Women Travelers” section on the Travel.State.Gov website, part of the U.S. Department of State, gender-based violence is committed against someone because of their gender, particularly affecting women and minorities. The website explains that women travelers are often targeted by sexual violence: sexual or physical assault, domestic violence, forced marriage, female infanticide, trafficking and other violent acts.

While safety is a key consideration when traveling, Meg Jerrard, co-founder of Solo Female Travelers, a for-profit company that empowers women to travel, says fear should not stop the adventures. Jerrard has visited 150 countries, 53 of which were solo trips. The company offers guided group trips to women-owned businesses worldwide, helping women take their first step in traveling solo or connecting with like-minded women.

Jerrard was raised in Australia, and her co-founder, Mar Pages, grew up in Spain. They grew up not realizing traveling solo was a privilege. They soon realized this wasn’t the norm for most women, especially after connecting with members of their “Solo Female Travelers” Facebook group, which has grown to about 444,000 members worldwide since its creation in 2015.

Why is safety a more significant concern for women than men?

Ultimately, Jerrard says, it comes down to perceptions and attitudes toward women. Women must think about things men don’t, like being alone at night or staying in a risky hotel. It’s the same reason women are more cautious when walking down the street at night in their hometown than men. She says that, in general, everyday life can be more vulnerable than traveling because people go on “autopilot” through routines and let their guard down.

“So your brain is trying to form new cognitive patterns to actually put it in place. When you’ve done something so many times, you have a certain muscle memory,” she said. “And that is, ultimately, what might lend you into a bigger false sense of security at home than when you travel because you naturally and hopefully, are more alert when you travel.”

On the Solo Female Travelers website, a Safety Index provides information based on factors like attitudes toward women in each country and recent experiences shared by women. In a survey conducted by Solo Female Travelers with responses from 5,000 women every year since 2020, Jerrard says safety is always the number one fear women express.

Jerrard also mentions that no matter your age or experience level, the safety risks of traveling solo do not decrease. However, she says it’s important to be rational, as some destinations that are considered unsafe, like Egypt or Morocco, are better visited in a group.

She says safety risks are lower in countries where gender equality, local laws and attitudes toward women are well-established, like Iceland or Norway. In contrast, if you’re in a more conservative country, she says covering up in clothing is important to avoid drawing attention or offending local customs. If you’re heading to a place like Japan or Denmark or anywhere with strict regulations related to body art, she says it’s best to hide tattoos and do some research before visiting.

“Public information is key. Research the specific destination, and don’t just take people’s advice and word for it,” she said. “If you’re LGBTQ+, it’s going to be a completely different set of safety considerations for someone who is a woman, than someone who is a man or someone who is a person of color.”

The fear of safety and the “unknown” isn’t just about countries where women have traditional roles or are looked down upon, says Jerrard. She continued to explain it’s everywhere — even in places like the U.S., where cultural values and fears can be passed down through generations. She says many women are raised to believe it’s unsafe or impossible to travel alone. But once you challenge that mindset, she says your world opens up new possibilities.

Howard added that historically, many societies held gender stereotypes that saw women as dependent on men, who were viewed as the dominant gender in relationships and situations. While women’s liberation and gender equality have challenged these beliefs, she said, the stereotype still persists in some areas of society, shaping attitudes and behaviors.

Women are seen as the “weaker link,” making them more vulnerable and targeted, Howard added. This leads to the misconception that travel is unsafe for women and adds the extra risk that men can easily overpower them, she said.

While men are generally physically stronger than women, it’s still a scary reality for women, Howard added. Men often see women in a sexual light, driven by lust — an intense, often uncontrollable desire — which leads to women being viewed more for their sexuality, she said.

“But women are always perceived as a sexual object, so they’re always going to be looked upon as something that’s easy, something that you want to have and objectified,” she said. “And it starts not with just traveling. It starts with just going to the gas station and pumping gas. That’s one of my least favorite activities. As a woman, you go to a gas station, and you are harassed by men constantly during that experience.”

Safety concerns are at the top of her mind, not just when traveling but even when going to the grocery store or walking around her neighborhood. She said women have to alter how they live and are often trained to fend for their lives.

Howard earned her undergraduate degree in 2020 and a graduate degree in 2022 in criminology. At FAU, she founded a nonprofit called Project Micah at age 18. The organization partners with safe houses to help victims rescued from human trafficking — which involves force, fraud or coercion to exploit individuals for labor or sex, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign website.

She describes Project Micah as a “passion project” to which she’s still dedicated today. While trafficking takes many forms, Project Micah specifically targets sex trafficking. As she explains, this is the act of forcing someone into sexual exploitation against their will, and anyone can be a victim, no matter their gender or background — this crime doesn’t discriminate. She says if these traffickers sense a weakness or that you’re not paying attention, they will strike.

“You have to be aware because one incident can happen, and then your life can be completely derailed,” she said. “So definitely doing your own research and realizing you can travel alone. But you have to be smart.”

DeMia Bonner experienced this firsthand while studying at the American Business School in Paris through a 2019 study abroad program with FAU. It was her first time traveling internationally and living alone, without the safety net of family and friends. She was ambushed by multiple men while exploring solo in the Gare du Nord area of Paris.

She was heading to try out a new restaurant when the men harassed her, attempting to lure her somewhere. They grabbed her arms, and she yelled, “No, please stop!”

It escalated to the point where another man picked her up from behind. Growing up in New York City, Bonner always carried a pocket knife for protection, and at that moment, she went into defense mode; she used it to cut his hand and free herself.

As this happened in a public area, she ran to a nearby restaurant for safety. The owner, noticing what had happened, initially yelled at her in French, as there was a language barrier since she didn’t speak French. He then asked in English, “What are you doing here? Why are you alone?” The owner explained that there were often concerns about young women being targeted for kidnapping in the area. His son then walked her back to the subway station to help her return home.

Bonner said FAU’s Education Abroad program was unaware of the situation. However, Jacob Borenstein, FAU’s program analyst for global travel safety and security, wrote in an email that students are pre-screened on safety and situational awareness before studying abroad. They are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the area by downloading maps and learning the language.

Borenstein also mentioned that protocols include ensuring students have the university’s mobile app, which features a panic button that connects directly to FAU police dispatch. He advises students to input emergency contacts into their phones, such as program leaders, local police and the embassy. Additionally, he recommends using a “buddy system” to help students look out for each other and share their locations.

“For our female travelers, we stress the high importance of being safe in social situations, parties and events specifically, and the dangers of drugs and alcohol,” he wrote. “I personally stress not to leave drinks unattended and to not let their guard down.”

As a Jamaican, Bonner says she experiences catcalls differently. After sharing her story with her female friends, one white and the other Hispanic, both said they often visit that area and never had safety concerns.

“And even later that week, when we all went together, the three of us; I was still getting harassed, and [my friends] were standing right next to me,” Bonner said, stating she feels race plays a role in being targeted. “So I definitely think it has a role to play in it. That’s just something that you have to be aware of and do your research on.”

Howard seconded Bonner’s sentiment, saying that white people — especially women — are often seen as “more prioritized” than minorities. She says when someone from a minority group goes missing, they don’t always get the same attention that traffickers and others with ill intentions take advantage of.

Bonner graduated in 2020 with a degree in Management Information Systems and has set a goal to visit 30 countries before she turns 30 — she’s currently at 25. Her travels have taken her to places like the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and Mexico, as well as farther afield to countries such as Ireland, Portugal, Scotland and the Netherlands. About five of these trips were entirely independent, and she says that while some destinations felt safe, others did not.

Regardless, Bonner advises solo travelers not to share their whole life story, what they’re doing or why they’re traveling. And to never say, “You’re traveling alone.”

While growing up, Bonner and her family frequently booked trips, making travel feel like second nature. Her upbringing as a Jamaican, combined with her time living in New York and later moving to Florida in 2010, helped her develop a strong sense of discernment in navigating day-to-day life. She credits her experiences in New York, particularly with teaching her to stay aware of her surroundings and avoid getting caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“If you are a solo traveler, whether you’re female or male, go ahead and apply for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program [a U.S. Department of State program that is a free service that allows you to input your travel dates and locations so that government personnel can reach you in an emergency while traveling abroad],” she said, adding that taking this extra step won’t hurt for security.

This story is in the UP’s latest print issue Vol. 31, “Women in Paradise,” which can be found in the distribution boxes around the Boca Raton campus or in the Student Union room 214.

Michael Cook is the Managing Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email michael17cook@gmail.com.