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Dear friends,
A couple of women I have met on camino del Norte have been followed by the same man. He is Brazilian and has long hair in a pony tail, I think his name is Norbert. He has followed a few different women and waited for them if they have gone to the toilet or to eat. He has tried to touch the women on the ear etc and also tried to kiss them. It seems if you are really clear with your words and ask him to leave, he does. But women walking by yourself be really clear you don’t want to followed if you encounter him. I think he is lonely so men if you meet him, please make friends.
Buen Camino!
The Guardia Civil has a mission to protect pilgrims on the Caminos and I have recently seen media reports about their activity to stop this nuisance behavior. They appear to take this seriously. You should not assume that an incident is too trivial to report. If someone was a nuisance to you, they may behave worse toward a more vulnerable person who follows you.I guess I am one of those who never would have called the police for things like that, due to that the police in my home country, Norway, would never have enough resources to follow it up if it happened in Norway.
May be Spanish police have more resources to do that kind of work?
The LAST thing this is, is a lonely man that should be befriended. This is a potentially dangerous man. Enough with for lack of a better word, political correctness or compassion. He needs to be reported immediately, questioned and if reports are true should be deported immediately. A woman attacked or harassed by a man like this and sympathy for the man rather than the victim makes my daughters and women worldwide a little more unsafe. Would you say the same if this was your daughter he was making unwanted advances towards? I am sorry to say this and I hope I don't get into trouble but your empathy is almost as disturbing to me as the warning about this person.Dear friends,
A couple of women I have met on camino del Norte have been followed by the same man. He is Brazilian and has long hair in a pony tail, I think his name is Norbert. He has followed a few different women and waited for them if they have gone to the toilet or to eat. He has tried to touch the women on the ear etc and also tried to kiss them. It seems if you are really clear with your words and ask him to leave, he does. But women walking by yourself be really clear you don’t want to followed if you encounter him. I think he is lonely so men if you meet him, please make friends.
Buen Camino!
The LAST thing this is, is a lonely man that should be befriended. This is a potentially dangerous man. Enough with for lack of a better word, political correctness or compassion. He needs to be reported immediately, questioned and if reports are true should be deported immediately. A woman attacked or harassed by a man like this and sympathy for the man rather than the victim makes my daughters and women worldwide a little more unsafe. Would you say the same if this was your daughter he was making unwanted advances towards? I am sorry to say this and I hope I don't get into trouble but your empathy is almost as disturbing to me as the warning about this person.
I understand it completely. He's an old coot, and may not have all his marbles.I was also put off by the OP’s sympathy for the harasser.
I really appreciate everyone's comments on this and I understand your concerns. This is a very individual decision and mine is not right for everyone. I will, however, protect my own life over that of someone who is attacking me with intent to harm and I'll take my chances with Spanish law and the courts. I don't have an "attacking attitude". I'm a peaceful person who in the gun-toting US doesn't own one nor can I fathom seriously harming someone. That said, I've read enough Camino stories about women being attacked, raped, and even killed to be concerned. I know that these occurrences are extremely rare. I'm 63 and I'm not strong enough physically to defend myself against an attacker. I pray that my Camino is a safe one, as I do for every pilgrim.Um, consider mace instead? If you use that knife in Spain to injure (even in defense) laws and regulations may not be in your favor in the same way as in the states.
That stopped me in my tracks for a moment.Write a list of all the worst things that could possibly happen to you.
Add "Killing another person" to that list.
Now prioritise your list.
I have read about 1 murder, I don't recall any rapes, but I've read about a number of lesser assaults. I don't carry a knife for protection in my own country and see no need to do so in Spain. Nor do I think a pocket knife would be more effective than a whistle and a phone.I've read enough Camino stories about women being attacked, raped, and even killed
That said, I've read enough Camino stories about women being attacked, raped, and even killed to be concerned. I know that these occurrences are extremely rare. I'm 63 and I'm not strong enough physically to defend myself against an attacker. I pray that my Camino is a safe one, as I do for every pilgrim.
I've deleted my comment. No more debate is necessary.I have read about 1 murder, I don't recall any rapes, but I've read about a number of lesser assaults. I don't carry a knife for protection in my own country and see no need to do so in Spain. Nor do I think a pocket knife would be more effective than a whistle and a phone.
Then you are coming to the right place!I'm a peaceful person who in the gun-toting US doesn't own one nor can I fathom seriously harming someone.
Thank you for the real numbers, @peregrina2000 . I thought it was more than that, but that's obviously the wrong perception!there have been 45 crimes on the camino in the province of León in the last three years. 45 crimes in the last three years on a stretch of more than 200 kms. And the overwhelming majority are theft. With how many hundreds of thousands of people walking through?
I really appreciate everyone's comments on this and I understand your concerns. This is a very individual decision and mine is not right for everyone. I will, however, protect my own life over that of someone who is attacking me with intent to harm and I'll take my chances with Spanish law and the courts. I don't have an "attacking attitude". I'm a peaceful person who in the gun-toting US doesn't own one nor can I fathom seriously harming someone. That said, I've read enough Camino stories about women being attacked, raped, and even killed to be concerned. I know that these occurrences are extremely rare. I'm 63 and I'm not strong enough physically to defend myself against an attacker. I pray that my Camino is a safe one, as I do for every pilgrim.
Just so you know if you download the app called Alertcops and you activate it in an emergency it will find your location and as importantly connect you to someone who speaks English to help you. I think that this app especially for women is as essential as good shoes on the Camino.Thank you for the warning!
I guess I am one of those who never would have called the police for things like that, due to that the police in my home country, Norway, would never have enough resources to follow it up if it happened in Norway.
May be Spanish police have more resources to do that kind of work?
I am sorry to say that through my years of studying for my education in Oslo I nearly every day met a flasher or two walking through the royal garden/ park on the way to my university, but I never thought of reporting it.
Young women in those days were taught self-defense and relied on that in such coinsidencies.
For us non-Spanish speeking people the level for reporting to the police is even higher. I have been through a session of reporting being robbed at the airport train in Barcelona some years ago, on the way home from my second camino, and it was not easy since the police at Barcelona Sants spoke no English at all.
So please do not judge the ones who does not report, it is not easy in a foreign country.
The statistically most dangerous situation, at least in Norway, is still to be married!
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