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I totally agree the camino still a safe place but please don't be naive its evil everywhere and " oportunistas"Is so sad that these things happen here or anywhere, the Camino is a safe place but unfortunately not totally free from evil. I know these are isolated events but one incident is one too many. I would strongly recommend to all female walking alone to find someone to walk with, or at the very least to walk near other pilgrims.
Oftentimes I feel the same way. But there were a few times on the Francés when I was walking on my own, out of sight of any others, where I felt very vulnerable....particularly the one time when I absolutely had to wee and I went off the trail to do so. In hindsight, going off the trail when no one else was around was a stupid thing to do, but I guess we are so conditioned as to modesty. Better to be caught on the trail with my pants down than go off the trail and possibly provide any would-be assailant with privacy to commit an assault.........i pity the poor bas***d who tries to assault me. he will get as good as he gives.
May it not happen to you nor to anyone else!!I spend most of my time walking alone, as i prefer it, but seriously, i pity the poor bas***d who tries to assault me. he will get as good as he gives.
I didn't ever see anyone selling pepper spray, and I know you can not take it in carry on luggage, but is there some place to buy it along the way? This would ease some hearts and minds, I'm sure!I spend most of my time walking alone, as i prefer it, but seriously, i pity the poor bas***d who tries to assault me. he will get as good as he gives.
I am deeply saddened by this and echo all the sentiments expressed in this thread, which include the emotions also expressed by Viranani.
A powerful hallmark of what it is to be a pilgrim ~ one that so often manifests itself on the caminos and possibly always has ~ is the care and concern that one pilgrim, who is perhaps unknown to another, can express towards another. "Watching out" for the welfare of others is something that I have so often witnessed on the Camino and found myself doing....sometimes this is done totally anonymously.
This year, as an example, I had set off early one morning whilst dark and as dawn began to break and in the middle of nowhere a white van with three guys rolled up. Just the trail and a dirt track along which they had driven. They may have been agricultural workers, but there was something odd that made me feel very "uneasy". I walked on a short distance past them, but I was aware that a few minutes back on the Camino there was a sole Peregrina. So on the premise that I needed something from my pack, I stopped, waited and watched until I knew that the lady had safely passed them. I was close enough for the guys to be aware that I had stopped and was aware.
They got back in the van and went back the way they had come. They were quite probably innocently going about their business, but perhaps not. I had that uneasy feeling that prompted me to simply "watch out" for a fellow pilgrim. No big deal, the lady didn't know what I had done or why; there were no heroics needed BUT let us "watch out" for one another when and where we can.
I am deeply saddened by this and echo all the sentiments expressed in this thread, which include the emotions also expressed by Viranani.
A powerful hallmark of what it is to be a pilgrim ~ one that so often manifests itself on the caminos and possibly always has ~ is the care and concern that one pilgrim, who is perhaps unknown to another, can express towards another. "Watching out" for the welfare of others is something that I have so often witnessed on the Camino and found myself doing....sometimes this is done totally anonymously.
This year, as an example, I had set off early one morning whilst dark and as dawn began to break and in the middle of nowhere a white van with three guys rolled up. Just the trail and a dirt track along which they had driven. They may have been agricultural workers, but there was something odd that made me feel very "uneasy". I walked on a short distance past them, but I was aware that a few minutes back on the Camino there was a sole Peregrina. So on the premise that I needed something from my pack, I stopped, waited and watched until I knew that the lady had safely passed them. I was close enough for the guys to be aware that I had stopped and was aware.
They got back in the van and went back the way they had come. They were quite probably innocently going about their business, but perhaps not. I had that uneasy feeling that prompted me to simply "watch out" for a fellow pilgrim. No big deal, the lady didn't know what I had done or why; there were no heroics needed BUT let us "watch out" for one another when and where we can.
Dear all,
I got this anonymous e-mail the other day. I do not know who this person is, but I thought I would post it here anyway.
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Evening, I realise this is reacting to the posts about the arrest of a suspect in the death of a pilgrim and I apologise adding the 'talk'. I am not a member of the forum and don't want to become one or make a public post. But I wanted to let you know that I was sexually assaulted and beaten between Santa Cruz and Cordoba in February 2015. The police response was absolutely amazing. I did not inform the local camino associations nor your organisation as it was and is a private matter. I guess I am letting you know now because I can talk about it and because I think lone perigrinas do not realise the risks they take walking through isolated areas. I certainly didn't. I don't expect a response, but just wanted to let you know. Thanks for listening.
SY, I agree that there is always a problem with trolls and untruthful posts, but requiring that she post it herself doesn't make it any more likely to be truthful. We don't have a fact check function on the forum and I'm sure there are many untruths said here every day, but in the end I agree with Deb. Buen camino, LaurieIvar, sorry to be a pain but posting an anonymous report like this really isn't wise. Would you have a post like this, without proof of any kind, go through normal forum channels? If that person really wants to warn others she could post here, and engage in conversation, under a nick name without the need to give up her privacy. Looking at the words I have put in bold it might just be that somebody is getting a kick out frightening fellow pilgrims. I hope I am wrong. SY
SY, I agree that there is always a problem with trolls and untruthful posts, but requiring that she post it herself doesn't make it any more likely to be truthful. We don't have a fact check function on the forum and I'm sure there are many untruths said here every day, but in the end I agree with Deb. Buen camino, Laurie
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