Hotel chains were nerve wrecked by the rise of a recent all-star, AirBnB; however, per recent data hotels are often still chosen by 68% of all travelers. It does rather make sense as hotels have been around for decades and are trusted by many; however, in doing research on the safety of hotels, it has been recorded that hotels and motels are in the top five labor trafficking spots and 20% of traffickers house survivors in hotels.
Even the nicest hotels have the ability to house the darkest acts. Alongside unkempt motels, some powerful players pay off hotel staff to help keep girls quiet, catch any potential runaways, and escort buyers to the rooms. Knowing this, how can we ensure safety in even the most popular hotels around?
Choose Your Hotel Wisely
Especially when travelling abroad, ensure you research your hotel thoroughly. You want to look at recent Trip Advisor posts, online discussion platforms, and ratings as well as pictures. While AI has advanced, most of the time it can be easy to distinguish an AI picture over a tourist-taken photo. If you are on a tight budget, we highly recommend keeping an eye out for deals through the hotel. Never, ever, sacrifice safety!
“We rolled in at dusk. On a tight budget, we had chosen this motel and were excited as it seemed to be in a decent part of town. Upon our arrival, we noticed an almost empty lot except for an empty U-Haul truck. Alarm bells rang in my mind but my best friend assured me we would be fine and I was being paranoid. A group of men watched as we walked up to our room…”
We highly recommend requesting a room not on a ground floor, but no higher than the sixth floor. In the event of a fire, ladder trucks can only reach up to the sixth floor of any building. It is also recommended not to select a room near ice machines or vending machines as criminals can hide near them.
Secure the Room
It is time to put your untapped tactical skills to use! When you enter the room alone, do not lock the door behind you right away. Instead, ensure the door is fully shut and begin searching with your guard on high alert. Check in the shower, in closets and cabinets, as well as under the bed and behind curtains. Next, go back to lock the door, being sure to include your Locked Down and Step Off products as an added layer of security. You will also want to check for any mysterious “left behind” air fresheners, charging blocks, or other mysterious single small lights or random tape left on lamps or clocks. If you notice any of this, it could be a sign of hidden cameras. Finally, put the Do Not Disturb sign on your door, put your Locked Down and Step Off in place, and check the room phone. Ensure it connects directly to the front desk!
“…we at the very least needed to call the front desk. I picked up the phone and all I heard was static – the line had been purposely severed. This was confirmed when I followed the cord to only pull out the cut line. Immediately I knew we were in a trafficking hotspot but was scared to call the police. At this time, it was also too dark outside to leave safely.”
Guard Your Room Number
Never give away your room number to anyone and if you are at a hotel amenity that offers the option to charge your room, opt to use a card or a mobile pay option. If out and about, do not give away your hotel name to locals as well and consider even being dropped off at a hotel across the street in caution of your rideshare driver.
Never Open the Door to Knocking
“A little while later, we heard a knock at our door and two men talking in an undistinguishable language. My best friend and I froze, and I snagged my Pepper Spray and gave it to my best friend. The handle then began to jiggle and a man pushed on the door, which slightly flexed in as I grabbed the iron in the room. I was ready for the door to cave in at any moment and to fight for our lives. Luckily, he stopped and instead slid a note under our door and walked away. My best friend grabbed the note and read it. The man and his companion he was with invited us to a party and specified they had booze…”
If you are expecting a food delivery, we recommend having the food delivered at the front desk at the hotel after checking that service is available. If in a motel setting, most food delivery apps tend to have the option of dropping the food at the door that you can select. Ensure you have a device or product staged close by in the event of an emergency. We recommend a travel friendly, close-contact product, such as a Sock it Slim or Written Off.
Always verify through the peep hole and talking through the door the knocker’s identity. Rely mostly on the peep hole as this will be a major indicator of who is on the other side of the door! Try not to use more conspicuous methods, such as a window, to see who is there. We also recommend keeping the chain lock on, if possible, if a peep hole is not available to you for the initial check. When getting the food, be quick and intentional and even talk to the room as if someone was in the bathroom or right around the corner.
If you Feel Unsafe, Explore your Options
You do have options if you feel unsafe! Depending on the situation, you can call 911, a local non-emergency line, barricade yourself in, or leave. Use judgement to decide and if you are unsure of the best course of action, talk to a trusted friend or family member who has your best interest in mind.
“At this point, barricading the door was the only option that I felt safe proceeding with. My best friend wanted to leave and head to the pool but it was over my dead body that either of us were going outside in the dark, especially after what just happened. So, we grabbed the dresser and pulled it in front of the door. We both felt much safer that night and thankfully, there was nothing else that happened that night. In the morning, we dropped off our key in the deposit box and quickly left.”
The story mentioned in this article was a true recount of two 18 year olds who took a trip to Oregon, now years ago. Since then, they are still close as ever and will occasionally reflect on their experience of being nearly trafficked. Both women give all the glory and praise to God that they were kept safe that night.
Many girls, however, are not educated on the signs of danger and what to watch for or were raised to be polite over self-protection. Let’s help change the statistics. Check out our Human Trafficking Awareness and Personal Protection Usage Safety Sessions by Damsel in Defense. Don’t forget to use your local Damsel Safety Educator’s code for a discount! Not sure who that is, or need some guidance on what travel friendly products might work best for you? Check out our Pro Locator here.
