Abroad and Alone

69% of females refuse to travel solo due to worrying about their safety. This statistic has held many back from even exploring the idea of traveling abroad or even within the United States. On the contrary, 90% of Gen Z females believe that traveling is the best way to challenge yourself and find who you are in your place in the world. Our challenge is to empower and encourage the women who have wanderlust in their hearts to take the first step in exploring this beautiful world and themselves.

Where do I even start? The best place to start if you have never traveled by yourself or in a small group is by doing your research. Booking places that are notorious for being unsafe on accident could cause unpreparedness leading to being thrown into unsafe environments. We always recommend doing research on the country or state you are visiting to first and foremost gain knowledge on the area and what places to avoid. Below, we have provided a pre-researched list of the Top 5 Safest Countries to visit as of 2022. We also recommend, if going out of the country, to sign up for the U.S. Embassy’s Smart Travelers Program. This will give you live updates on your booked or chosen destination so if it suddenly becomes unsafe, you can make necessary changes. 

I have my destination chosen, now what? Time to book your flight and hotel! We recommend going with a popular airline with a good reputation and also checking our Pepper Sprays on Planes or Alternatives on Airplanes blog post if you are hoping to carry some extra protection. When booking your hotel, you will also want to shop around and also check popular travel platforms like TripAdvisor and make sure you are looking at the most recent reviews regarding your location. What once may have been a great hotel full of safety features could have turned very quickly into a run-down and unsafe motel so finding the most recent reviews will save a lot of worry! You will also want to use your knowledge from the step above to ensure you book in a good location in the area you are visiting. Looking at maps is a great first step and you will want to additionally read about the surrounding area from locals who blog or from other travel influencers to ensure the neighborhood is decent.  A nice AirBnB may seem great until you get there and realize the neighborhood surrounding it is dangerous! 

Now I’m all booked, how can I protect myself? Not to worry! We at Damsel provide a variety of products for you to buy leading up to your trip. We have featured some Traveler’s Favorites in our Alternatives on Airplanes blog post which have been tested and reviewed by some of our own Damsel Staff abroad. A good rule of thumb is to ensure all protection products are purchased at least three weeks before your trip, so you have time to charge, test, and gain confidence with your product before leaving for your trip. Feeling spontaneous and needing protection asap? You can contact Pro Support via text at 208-288-2989 or via email at prosupport@damselindefense.net for expedited processing and shipping options.