Alert Flasher/Masturbater Camino Portuguese

[Sineadmk]

Flasher/Masturbater strikes again Camino Portuguese
Today Weds 15th outside Oliveira de Azemeis.
Hi, I'm a sole female & was exposed to a exhibitionist masturbater when I was walking from a country track in the way into Ol de Azemeis. No other walkers that I have spoken to had the same experience but they are male or in a couple. A fellow walker did see the man loitering about @ 20 mins before I walked by. Even though obviously unacceptable behaviour, I didn't feel endangered. I just laughed out loud & motioned he had a very small manhood....that was my defensive reaction. The best reaction in these situations is zero reaction.... pretend you don't even notice.
He definitely was lying in wait for a solo female walker & he definitely has a problem.
I phined the police station.... explained I was walking & could not take on another extra 30 mins 1 way out of my way to the station. I niavely thought the police would come to me, I could show them the location, give a description etc. TBH, once the police were informed I wasn't actually harmed they didn't understand why I was making the phone call. They took no information from me. They did apologize that this happened to me.
I'm not comfortable with the police reaction & I think I will walk to the station in Sao Joao de Madeira.
Just to say again, I am fine. I was too hungover to care enough about it & did not feel physically threatened. It distracted me from the hangover for an hour or so.
Also I walk/hike solo in many places & country. This never happened before. Don't let it discourage solo walkers

 

[Robo]

Very sorry to hear of this.
Is it just me, or is this kind of thing much more frequent on the Camino Portuguese?

 

[Former member 49149]

Sinead, this is so terrible. Please think about reporting the incident in person when you can reach your destination. You will be protecting yourself and other solo women.

 

[wayfarer]

There is continuing concern about incidents affecting female pilgrims. We reiterate the advice given by a number of pilgrim associations and the Spanish authorities:

Before you set out, programme the emergency number 112 into your telephone.

Consider downloading this App issued by the Spanish government:

https://alertcops.ses.mir.es/mialertcops/info/info.xhtml

The app allows anyone in Spain to send an alert from a mobile device "smartphone'"straight to the police..

If you feel threatened or uncomfortable or if you are assaulted in any way TRY TO REMOVE yourself to a place of safety immediately

Call the police – the best number to use is 112 which covers all of Spain (and much of Europe) and which has operators who speak English.

And please, please, REPORT all incidents to the police. Too many of these unlawful aggressions are never reported, which means that the full extent of the problem is hidden from the authorities.

 

[RJM]

Very sorry to hear of this.
Is it just me, or is this kind of thing much more frequent on the Camino Portuguese?

I think it is. My only experience being physically accosted by a local was on the Portuguese and I'm a 6'1" 220 lb middle aged man.

 

[wayfarer]

I am at the station now....they are reluctant to take a report !!!

Insist on it, even if they do nothing a report will have been filed.

 

[J Willhaus]

My husband is retired law enforcement and he often snaps a photo of any violations or of miscreant behavior. In the moment, I might be too rattled to do so, but might help with identification? It did help us identify some youth pranksters shutting off our lights in the Grañón.

I want people to report please. Thank you for doing so.

 

[peregrina2000]

I am very sorry to hear about this. Having experienced it multiple times myself on different caminos, I know that it takes a while to shake the sense of disgust and violation. And I think that reporting it in Sao Joao da Madeira is a great idea.

I don’t think we have any data on occurrences like this in Spain and Portugal. It is true that every time someone reports an incident in Portugal on the forum, someone inevitably says something like “this seems to happen more in Portugal.” Whether it does or not, I think that the comments help to cement that impression. I have tried to find data but cannot. Having walked alone both in Spain and Portugal, my own experience is 7-0, Spain over Portugal. But that‘s anecdotal, and I wouldn’t use it to generalize about the relative frequency.

Given the much greater importance of the camino in Spain to the villages and their economies, it is probably the case that many more resources are spent to educate the Spanish police on how to deal with these incidents and to sensitize them to the fact that they cause real harm. Long time forum members may remember our many discussions from 15 years ago or more when the Spanish police typically gave the response that @Sineadmk describes here. The mantra then was — report, report, report. I won’t say that forum efforts brought about the change, but surely the voices of many women were instrumental in the many positive changes that we now see in Spain in terms of police response and support. And this is what needs to happen in Portugal, too.

I will contact the Via Lusitana and see how they might help.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

I will contact the Via Lusitana and see how they might help.

And maybe the Portuguese tourist authorities? From my limited observations so far on Portuguese bureaucracy, it seems quite possible that whatever is reported to the police is not passed along to the tourist ministry.

And I know they very much want to encourage religious tourism and the Portuguese caminhos.

They are possibly quite unaware that this kind of reputation is trending, and would be very dismayed to find that it is!

 

[mspath]

Perhaps the OP on site now in Portugal might call the Vis Lusitania hot line directly for help using S.O.S.Peregrino on their web.

 

[WestKirsty]

Hi @Sineadmk ! I just wanted to say I'm really sorry that you experienced this. I had a very similar experience in Spain on the Frances at Christmas and felt rattled by it for a while. I do hope the rest of your journey is nothing but positive experiences and encounters! Take care out there

 

[Sineadmk]

Police are taking a statement soon

 

[J Willhaus]

I am very sorry to hear about this. Having experienced it multiple times myself on different caminos, I know that it takes a while to shake the sense of disgust and violation. And I think that reporting it in Sao Joao da Madeira is a great idea.

I don’t think we have any data on occurrences like this in Spain and Portugal. It is true that every time someone reports an incident in Portugal on the forum, someone inevitably says something like “this seems to happen more in Portugal.” Whether it does or not, I think that the comments help to cement that impression. I have tried to find data but cannot. Having walked alone both in Spain and Portugal, my own experience is 7-0, Spain over Portugal. But that‘s anecdotal, and I wouldn’t use it to generalize about the relative frequency.

Given the much greater importance of the camino in Spain to the villages and their economies, it is probably the case that many more resources are spent to educate the Spanish police on how to deal with these incidents and to sensitize them to the fact that they cause real harm. Long time forum members may remember our many discussions from 15 years ago or more when the Spanish police typically gave the response that @Sineadmk describes here. The mantra then was — report, report, report. I won’t say that forum efforts brought about the change, but surely the voices of many women were instrumental in the many positive changes that we now see in Spain in terms of police response and support. And this is what needs to happen in Portugal, too.

I will contact the Via Lusitana and see how they might help.

I wonder how much of a role the death of a pilgrim played in the increased attention?

 

[Sineadmk]

Ok. So the police were very professional and helpful after all. The initial problem was I went to the transport police GNR. A young Police man overhead me & took over. First he thanked me for coming. Asked if I was ok. Made it clear they were transport police. Offered a lift to the general police station.
At the police station they took 90 minutes to Google translate & find the exact location on Google maps. Very kind & professional

 

[Sineadmk]

This is the location, he was hiding behind the white building

 

[C clearly]

the police were very professional and helpful after all.

Thanks for sticking it out to make the report, and then letting us know. It is good to know that the police acted professionally after the first misunderstanding.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

And maybe the Portuguese tourist authorities? From my limited observations so far on Portuguese bureaucracy, it seems quite possible that whatever is reported to the police is not passed along to the tourist ministry.

And I know they very much want to encourage religious tourism and the Portuguese caminhos.

They are possibly quite unaware that this kind of reputation is trending, and would be very dismayed to find that it is!

Perhaps these specialized police:
*
Oporto Tourism Police: +351 222 081 833

From this page in the "Religious Tourism" part of the Portuguese tourism website? Most of the other police referred to seem to be ordinary ones for the various communities.

(See "Useful Information" in the "Portuguese Way of St. James" part of this website:

Useful Information | Caminhos da Fé

Further information and useful contacts are provided to make your stay in Portugal truly memorable. If you are a pilgrim on the Fátima Ways or the Ways of St. James, see the recommendations on how to prepare for and undertake the Ways, and about safety, as well as the code of conduct with which...

www.pathsoffaith.com

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

Ok. So the police were very professional and helpful after all. The initial problem was I went to the transport police GNR.

This is important to know. In Portugal there are two police forces: the GNR and the PSP.

GNR is really like highway patrol. Most of their job involves highway monitoring.

(from Wikipedia):

The PSP has the following police roles and responsibilities:

[among many other things]

• Special Programs: responsible for educational programs, such as the Safe School, security of the elderly, trade insurance, spring insurance, domestic violence and the Integrated Policing of Proximity Program (PIPP)

So it does seem that this kind of crime should be reported to them. They are present in most towns.

 

[Sandra Riordan]

Very sorry to hear of this.
Is it just me, or is this kind of thing much more frequent on the Camino Portuguese?

I do think it is more frequent

 

[oursonpolaire]

When you return, write to your national pilgrims' association (APOC, CCoP, Fraternity, etc), and ask them to report the incident to the Portuguese Embassy in that country. Portugal and Spain are both countries very reliant on tourism and the tourism officer in an embassy is going to be very sensitive about any factor which might discourage travellers.

 

[Robo]

Ok. So the police were very professional and helpful after all. The initial problem was I went to the transport police GNR. A young Police man overhead me & took over. First he thanked me for coming. Asked if I was ok. Made it clear they were transport police. Offered a lift to the general police station.
At the police station they took 90 minutes to Google translate & find the exact location on Google maps. Very kind & professional

Well done for taking the time and courage to report this @Sineadmk
Hopefully this will help to track down this pervert.

 

[peregrina2000]

Ok. So the police were very professional and helpful after all. The initial problem was I went to the transport police GNR. A young Police man overhead me & took over. First he thanked me for coming. Asked if I was ok. Made it clear they were transport police. Offered a lift to the general police station.
At the police station they took 90 minutes to Google translate & find the exact location on Google maps. Very kind & professional

This is such good news. And I know you don’t need praise or thanks from me, but I really appreciate your taking the time to make the report, and to go through all of that headache when you would rather be walking. What we have seen over the years in Spain is that, though these incidents do not rise to the level of criminal infractions, frequently the local police take it upon themselves to use their powers of persuasion to make things happen. The police in Santiago to whom I gave the license plate number of the car parked next to the flasher I saw on Monte Gozo told me they were going to make a home visit, even though they couldn’t arrest or charge.

In many of these places, everyone knows everyone, so it is easy to put on the pressure of community disapproval once the identity is revealed. I don’t mean to sound polly-anna-ish here, but there has definitely been a change in official attitude in Spain, and your interaction today suggests that there is hope for similar change in Portugal.

May the rest of your walk be much more peaceful and conflict-free.

 

[nycwalking]

Very sorry to hear of this.
Is it just me, or is this kind of thing much more frequent on the Camino Portuguese?

I doubt it.

I’ve been out on CF quite a few times always alone or with new camino buddies.

I’ve had a flasher and unwanted attention a bit too often. One late winter pilgrimage whilst in old log cabin albergue in Burgos I was alone until a drunk middle-aged male pilgrim entered refugio repeatedly asking if I would share his bed. In the morning he apologized profusely, dashed out never to be seen again.

I once comforted a young French woman who’d been flashed a bit before I rounded the corner. I was flashed within day or two of her incident.

I have never felt truly unsafe but more than a bit annoyed because of unwanted attention.

Solo women simply have to be very aware of their surroundings and be not surprised when the unexpected arises. Pun intended.

 

[NorthernLight]

Whether it is more common or not, I think we are better at reporting it - whether that report is to police or to the world at large. The internet allows us to do this in real time. For those without frequent or easy access to the internet, it’s likely easier to just shrug and let it go.

 

[sharonmonty]

Flasher/Masturbater strikes again Camino Portuguese
Today Weds 15th outside Oliveira de Azemeis.
Hi, I'm a sole female & was exposed to a exhibitionist masturbater when I was walking from a country track in the way into Ol de Azemeis. No other walkers that I have spoken to had the same experience but they are male or in a couple. A fellow walker did see the man loitering about @ 20 mins before I walked by. Even though obviously unacceptable behaviour, I didn't feel endangered. I just laughed out loud & motioned he had a very small manhood....that was my defensive reaction. The best reaction in these situations is zero reaction.... pretend you don't even notice.
He definitely was lying in wait for a solo female walker & he definitely has a problem.
I phined the police station.... explained I was walking & could not take on another extra 30 mins 1 way out of my way to the station. I niavely thought the police would come to me, I could show them the location, give a description etc. TBH, once the police were informed I wasn't actually harmed they didn't understand why I was making the phone call. They took no information from me. They did apologize that this happened to me.
I'm not comfortable with the police reaction & I think I will walk to the station in Sao Joao de Madeira.
Just to say again, I am fine. I was too hungover to care enough about it & did not feel physically threatened. It distracted me from the hangover for an hour or so.
Also I walk/hike solo in many places & country. This never happened before. Don't let it discourage solo walkers

I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m glad you were able to not let it upset you too much. Behaviour like this can escalate if not stopped so people should look out for this man and report him. Solo walking is important and you are right this should not discourage solo walkers.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

This is KEY: "In many of these places, everyone knows everyone, so it is easy to put on the pressure of community disapproval once the identity is revealed."

Remember that you are walking mostly through old, conservative, small towns. Public pressure by local peers is the best deterrent to anti-social behaviour.

Reporting to the local police reinforces this.

 

[Mycroft]

This is the location, he was hiding behind the white building

Ugh. I had pictured there was a wider space between you. The closeness is very upsetting.
So sorry you experienced any of this....

 

[T0M]

There is continuing concern about incidents affecting female pilgrims. We reiterate the advice given by a number of pilgrim associations and the Spanish authorities:

Before you set out, programme the emergency number 112 into your telephone.

Consider downloading this App issued by the Spanish government:

https://alertcops.ses.mir.es/mialertcops/info/info.xhtml

The app allows anyone in Spain to send an alert from a mobile device "smartphone'"straight to the police..

If you feel threatened or uncomfortable or if you are assaulted in any way TRY TO REMOVE yourself to a place of safety immediately

Call the police – the best number to use is 112 which covers all of Spain (and much of Europe) and which has operators who speak English.

And please, please, REPORT all incidents to the police. Too many of these unlawful aggressions are never reported, which means that the full extent of the problem is hidden from the authorities.

Without doubt, incidents of flashing and masuturabation should be reported. But I wonder if the authorities who provide the 112 emergency number consider such incidents as emergencies.

 

[Tincatinker]

Without doubt, incidents of flashing and masuturabation should be reported. But I wonder if the authorities who provide the 112 emergency number consider such incidents as emergencies.

No. They’d much rather wait until something really nasty happens
Just to make sure that anyone reading the above knows exactly my meaning - any threat to the comfort and security of anyone walking the Camino is a matter of concern to the appropriate authority. Using 112 provides an opportunity for intervention.

 

[CaptainBonnie]

Perhaps the OP on site now in Portugal might call the Vis Lusitania hot line directly for help using S.O.S.Peregrino on their web.

The Police in Portugal are abbreviated under GNR.. initially I thought it expanded to Guns’n Roses..
Terrible incident about that freak I must say.. I completed the entire CP from Lisbon to SDeC on 01 June 2022.. being a guy I also did get an uncomfortable feeling on a few stretches including walking between the high grass dep Lisbon to Alverca.. like someone was watching .. could have been hallucinating as it was bloody hot ..
Sorry but I’m done with CP although the Porto - SDeC incl Variante Espiritual section was “ better”…than the earlier 385km
Very Best Wishes
Captain Bonnie

 

[T0M]

No. They’d much rather wait until something really nasty happens

Not to be argumentative, but I doubt that.

More likely they have the training and knowledge that you do not. There is no correlation between this disgusting behavior and a progression to "something really nasty" that would constitute an emergency.

 

[Tincatinker]

Not to be argumentative, but I doubt that.

More likely they have the training and knowledge that you do not. There is no correlation between this disgusting behavior and a progression to "something really nasty" that would constitute an emergency.

Dunno where you get that idea from but I'm not inclined to argue either. Just to state that anyone finding themselves in a threat situation should follow the advice that Moderators on this website will always offer:

"There is continuing concern about incidents affecting female pilgrims. We reiterate the advice given by a number of pilgrim associations and the Spanish authorities:

Before you set out, programme the emergency number 112 into your telephone.

Consider downloading this App issued by the Spanish government:

AlertCops

alertcops.ses.mir.es

The app allows anyone in Spain to send an alert from a mobile device "smartphone'"straight to the police..

If you feel threatened or uncomfortable or if you are assaulted in any way TRY TO REMOVE yourself to a place of safety immediately

Call the police – the best number to use is 112 which covers all of Spain (and much of Europe) and which has operators who speak English.

And please, please, REPORT all incidents to the police. Too many of these unlawful aggressions are never reported, which means that the full extent of the problem is hidden from the authorities."

 

[Kathar1na]

Without doubt, incidents of flashing and masuturabation should be reported. But I wonder if the authorities who provide the 112 emergency number consider such incidents as emergencies.

And do you wonder about this in a personal and generally global manner as one does when one reads posts on the forum, or are you specifically taking issue with the clear advice given in the note on this forum that can be found under this link: Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. Quote:

Sexual assault: Pilgrims are urged to report all cases of sexual assault, including exhibitionism, to either 112 or Alert Cops.​

​

I looked into Google News to refresh my memory: Last summer, a member of the regional parliament of the Balearic island was sexually harassed on the Camino del Norte by a man who masturbated in front of her. She phoned the emergency services to report the incident. Nowhere can I read that she should not have done so and should have reported the incident by different means or walked on until she found a police station. This case found some additional interest because of the standard protocol and questions that the operator asks everyone who calls 112.

In another case the Guardia Civil activated a surveillance device in the place where four peregrinas on the Via de la Plata had reported a man who had approached them and masturbated in front of them and then fled. The police managed to identify and apprehend him, and at the police station he confessed this act and other acts of which the police had not even been aware of. The article points out that exhibitionism and masturbation in front of minors are a criminal offence under Spanish law. When it happens in front of adult women, these acts can be prosecuted as offences under Organic Law 4/2015 on Citizen Security.

 

[C clearly]

I wonder if the authorities who provide the 112 emergency number consider such incidents as emergencies.

I am confident that the 112 responders have various protocols and procedures that apply to different "emergency" situations. Those procedures would include sorting the reports according to urgency and type of response that is appropriate. If in doubt, people should call 112 and let them determine what the response should be.

 

[WestKirsty]

I am confident that the 112 responders have various protocols and procedures that apply to different "emergency" situations. Those procedures would include sorting the reports according to urgency and type of response that is appropriate. If in doubt, people should call 112 and let them determine what the response should be.

I just wanted to share a quick note about my own experience with the Guardia Civil and what they told me with respect to calling 112 for these situations.

Last December I had a very similar experience as the OP while walking the Frances. I didn't call 112 and felt reluctant to do so as I didn't feel this was an emergency. I'm from Canada where the messaging is very clear - 911 is only for emergencies. Calling 911 operators for non-emergencies keeps the lines busy and could prevent someone from getting timely life saving help.

But the Frances is not in Canada and there seems to me to be more capacity with the 112 lines. When I told the officer I didn't call 112 because it wasn't an emergency his response was "true, it wasn't an immediate emergency but it wasn't nothing either. Call 112 right away next time so we have a better chance of finding the person". (Maybe not an exact quote/translation but this was the clear message).

Just wanted to agree with all the messages above of the need to report and, for those like I was -hesitant to use an emergency number - to share what the Guardia Civil told me directly.

Safe travels!

 

[oursonpolaire]

I am confident that the 112 responders have various protocols and procedures that apply to different "emergency" situations. Those procedures would include sorting the reports according to urgency and type of response that is appropriate. If in doubt, people should call 112 and let them determine what the response should be.

My information here dates from 5 years ago when I had a long conversation with a Civil Guard on this topic (in our common language of French, so I may have missed a subtlety or two). She told me that they wanted these calls to go to 112 and that they were essential to their work. As others have noted, the offences are not always criminal in Spanish law, but the Guardia's role as "agents of civil solidarity" helped them to visit offenders and discuss their concerns (which sounds innocent, but the sight of a Guardia car coming to see you at your workplace can have a salutary and concentrating effect) as well as refer them formally for counselling and psychological support--she told me that Spain is a complex society. She emphasized that reporting from pilgrims helps the police considerably.

Other posters have made the point that the CopsAlert app can be put on your mobile telephones and to use 112. I can only support this great advice. and hope that the diligence of pilgrims and the support of the authorities will bring an end to the need to do so.

 

[Lynnhardy]

Flasher/Masturbater strikes again Camino Portuguese
Today Weds 15th outside Oliveira de Azemeis.
Hi, I'm a sole female & was exposed to a exhibitionist masturbater when I was walking from a country track in the way into Ol de Azemeis. No other walkers that I have spoken to had the same experience but they are male or in a couple. A fellow walker did see the man loitering about @ 20 mins before I walked by. Even though obviously unacceptable behaviour, I didn't feel endangered. I just laughed out loud & motioned he had a very small manhood....that was my defensive reaction. The best reaction in these situations is zero reaction.... pretend you don't even notice.
He definitely was lying in wait for a solo female walker & he definitely has a problem.
I phined the police station.... explained I was walking & could not take on another extra 30 mins 1 way out of my way to the station. I niavely thought the police would come to me, I could show them the location, give a description etc. TBH, once the police were informed I wasn't actually harmed they didn't understand why I was making the phone call. They took no information from me. They did apologize that this happened to me.
I'm not comfortable with the police reaction & I think I will walk to the station in Sao Joao de Madeira.
Just to say again, I am fine. I was too hungover to care enough about it & did not feel physically threatened. It distracted me from the hangover for an hour or so.
Also I walk/hike solo in many places & country. This never happened before. Don't let it discourage solo walkers

Maybe other pilgrims can come confirm? I understand that it is not a police offence in Spain, maybe Portugal too?

 

[domigee]

Flasher/Masturbater strikes again Camino Portuguese
Today Weds 15th outside Oliveira de Azemeis.
Hi, I'm a sole female & was exposed to a exhibitionist masturbater when I was walking from a country track in the way into Ol de Azemeis. No other walkers that I have spoken to had the same experience but they are male or in a couple. A fellow walker did see the man loitering about @ 20 mins before I walked by. Even though obviously unacceptable behaviour, I didn't feel endangered. I just laughed out loud & motioned he had a very small manhood....that was my defensive reaction. The best reaction in these situations is zero reaction.... pretend you don't even notice.
He definitely was lying in wait for a solo female walker & he definitely has a problem.
I phined the police station.... explained I was walking & could not take on another extra 30 mins 1 way out of my way to the station. I niavely thought the police would come to me, I could show them the location, give a description etc. TBH, once the police were informed I wasn't actually harmed they didn't understand why I was making the phone call. They took no information from me. They did apologize that this happened to me.
I'm not comfortable with the police reaction & I think I will walk to the station in Sao Joao de Madeira.
Just to say again, I am fine. I was too hungover to care enough about it & did not feel physically threatened. It distracted me from the hangover for an hour or so.
Also I walk/hike solo in many places & country. This never happened before. Don't let it discourage solo walkers

It’s a horrible thing to happen, I know. And I am sorry you had to put up with it.
But it surprises me it surprises you….I say ‘you’ , I mean you all, on the forum, not just the OP.
it has nothing to do with the Camino, you get perverts everywhere. Doesn’t it happen where you live?

 

[Albertagirl]

it has nothing to do with the Camino, you get perverts everywhere. Doesn’t it happen where you live?

I have had one experience similar to this in my lifetime. I was in my apartment preparing for a journey the next morning. The woman who was accompanying me was outside, packing her car. I heard from her what a man in the next-door backyard was doing. She called the police and I went out to see for myself. It was after sunset and all that I could see was someone sitting on a piece of a log in the backyard. He seemed to have a growth on his head, which made it look like he had horns (clothes to hide his identity?). I couldn't really see what he was doing and I went back inside. Soon, the police arrived, with a dog that was taken to sniff around the next-door backyard, empty by then. In the circumstances, I felt somewhere between bewildered and amused. The guilty party, apparently the backdoor neighbour, never tried it again while I lived there.

I have been thinking about why I felt this way. 1. I was not alone and did not feel threatened; 2. The man involved was in a fenced backyard and made no attempt to approach either of us; 3. The police took the matter very seriously and I was convinced that the man would feel too frightened to try this again.
I am not convinced that this third point applies to the perpetrators who make approaches to solitary female pilgrims in Spain and Portugal. I expect that they know that they will not face serious legal repercussions for this behaviour, since it appears to not be illegal when done against adult women. This does not make me feel any safer.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

The Police in Portugal are abbreviated under GNR.

As discussed in an earlier thread, there are 2 police systems in Portugal, and you're more likely to get a useful response out of the other one, the PSP. They look after "social" police issues like domestic violence. The GNR are the highway police. Motor vehicle infractions, mostly.

If you have a choice, contact the PSP. They should be available anywhere other than the very small villages.

 

[JCLima]

As discussed in an earlier thread, there are 2 police systems in Portugal, and you're more likely to get a useful response out of the other one, the PSP. They look after "social" police issues like domestic violence. The GNR are the highway police. Motor vehicle infractions, mostly.

This is not true.
GNR is not just highway patrol.

PSP is the police for urban areas.
GNR is the police for rural areas.

Some places have both GNR and PSP. Some places, like my hometown, only have GNR.

Now, inside GNR, you can have a department for traffic patrol called Brigada de Trânsito, but that is not the only purpose of GNR.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

This is not true.
GNR is not just highway patrol.

PSP is the police for urban areas.
GNR is the police for rural areas.

Some places have both GNR and PSP. Some places, like my hometown, only have GNR.

Now, inside GNR, you can have a department for traffic patrol called Brigada de Trânsito, but that is not the only purpose of GNR.

Good to know. I had been told otherwise. I guess it's best to say, IF you have both, use PSP. Otherwise, the GNR. My apologies!

 

[Lynnhardy]

It’s a horrible thing to happen, I know. And I am sorry you had to put up with it.
But it surprises me it surprises you….I say ‘you’ , I mean you all, on the forum, not just the OP.
it has nothing to do with the Camino, you get perverts everywhere. Doesn’t it happen where you live?

I think it has to do with the camino in that it’s a well known marked long distance walk often near to towns or within road driving distance that a lot of women walk. The camino is the only walk I’ve experienced flashers. And haven’t heard of other walks where men wait around doing this… but I may be wrong .

 

[Lynnhardy]

I think it has to do with the camino in that it’s a well known marked long distance walk often near to towns or within road driving distance that a lot of women walk. The camino is the only walk I’ve experienced flashers. And haven’t heard of other walks where men wait around doing this… but I may be wrong .

Plus the laws surrounding the flasher in these countries isn’t an offence

 

[wayfarer]

Good to know. I had been told otherwise. I guess it's best to say, IF you have both, use PSP. Otherwise, the GNR. My apologies!

The best number to call in all these situations, anywhere in Europe, is 112, let the operators decide who best to contact to deal with the situation.
As the thread has now moved on to legal issues that we are not sure of in Portugal we will close it.