Whether you are traveling for leisure or business, security must always be a priority, especially when traveling alone. When you are away from the safety and comforts of your own home and away from friends and relatives who can immediately come to your side if you need help, you must learn to be your own guardian.
Generally, staying in the more popular hotels is considered safer since they adhere to strict policies in order to protect their brand. However, this is still not 100% foolproof, as there are records of crimes committed in popular hotel brands, such as theft or assault.
If you or someone you know has experienced assault while staying in a hotel, know that you can fight for your rights and that the law is there to provide justice for victims. But before you take any action, it is best to get in touch with an experienced hotel rape lawyer who can assist you and guide you through the process, and ensure that you have a solid case behind you.
Note that the risks are not limited to women because there are records of men falling victim to crimes inside hotels. There have also been cases where some of the hotel staff were even involved in the crime. Here are a few tips to help you ensure your safety while staying in a hotel:
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Prevent Unauthorized Entry
It is not enough to rely on the door lock for your safety when staying in hotels. Remember that the keys to these locks have duplicates that are not in your possession. However remote, there is still a chance that the duplicates could fall into the hands of people with ill intentions.
Always use the latch and deadbolt to lock your door to secure the room when you are inside. Consider bringing a door stopper with you to serve as another layer of protection. All these ensure that unwelcome visitors would not be able to enter even if they have the key to the room. It will also prevent walk-in accidents, such as cleaning staff coming up to clean the area while you are dressing up or taking a shower.
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Do A Quick Check Before Settling Down
If you are traveling far, you may be eager to plop yourself on the bed as soon as you enter the room and let your body relax on the soft mattress. This could be dangerous, particularly if you unintentionally fall asleep during this quick break. Try to hold yourself back for a few more minutes and sweep the room clean before you put your guard down.
There have been actual stories of predators lying under hotel beds or sneaking behind the curtains, waiting to take advantage of the guest’s relaxed state before committing a crime. Sometimes, the locks could be tampered with, allowing easy access to intruders. Thus, it is essential to check your surroundings and make sure everything is clear before you take a rest.
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Be Strict About Privacy
Keep your information private, and let the hotel staff be aware of this as well. Try to be as low-key as possible when checking in, and share your details only with the person assisting you. Lower your voice when saying your name at the reception area, or better yet, write it down, and make sure only the relevant personnel would have access to it.
This may sound overboard, but doing all these will help prevent strangers from using your name to get your room number or worse, gain access to your room. Some predators would pose as boyfriends or relatives of guests and convince the hotel staff to let them enter a guest’s room without prior notice, using reasons like wanting to let the guest rest or their visit being a surprise. They can only do this if they know basic information about you, such as your name.
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Trust Your Gut Feeling
The human brain is wired to detect danger as a means of self-protection and when it tells you something is wrong, you better pay attention. Keep yourself alert, carefully observe your surroundings, and look for things that look off, such as a stranger that seems to be following you or paying you too much attention. Immediately get yourself to a safe place, such as a crowded area in the hotel, or ask for assistance from the hotel staff.
Even if you don’t see anything that’s out of place, it is still best to trust your intuition. After all, even if there is nothing to worry about, you have nothing to lose. At most, the people around you will just think that you are being overly cautious. In contrast, the consequences of ignoring your instincts could be severe if they are proven to be right in the end.
